(2025-09-29) Savar's Strategy, Part 1 (Cobalt Blade)

Details

Author:	OzmaAsimov
Summary:	The Cobalt Blade closes in on Savar and his cult, who have escalated their activities in Tempest Keep.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: The Cobalt Blade

+ Show additional content warnings

References to sexual activity with demons and recreational drug use

A Broken draenei approaches the gathered heroes. "Cobalt Blade. I come on behalf of Kirrik the Awakened."

Thalstan straightens up. "Oh, aye? He's sent word? What's the word?"

Broken Messenger says: Kirrik has spent these past weeks meditating on the Tailfeather of Anzu, trying to divine the strange fluctuations in the ley lines. The act has left him fatigued, so I have come while he recovers.

Zaara nods solemnly.

Broken Messenger says: The unusual flows of energy appear to be converging just off of the eastern borders of the Netherstorm. That can only mean one thing.

[Tadget]: Sup.

[Thalstan]: East o' Netherstorm, *Thalstan repeats with a nod.* That dimensional fortress still out that way?

[Zaara]: What is the one thing?

The Broken gives a Very Serious Nod. "Exactly. Tempest Keep. I reached out to the Sha'tar — they have been working on the restoration of the Keep since it was recovered from Kael'thas. It seems I contacted them just in time."

[Zaara]: Ooooh.

Broken Messenger says: Recently, a Sha'tar engineer returned from Tempest Keep, gravely injured and near death. She reported that the Keep has been overrun by elves again…including kaldorei. The Savari have taken the Keep.

[Tadget]: Ugh, elves.

[Thalstan]: Oh no! Not again!

[Thalstan]: I take we're ta drive 'em out again?

[Tadget]: Elves are the worst.

[Thalstan]: Present company excluded.

Tadget did not say that.

[Vesyllah]: Nah. I'm the worst, too.

[Tadget]: She gets it.

[Zaara]: What?! No.

Tadget nods solemnly to Ves.

Thalstan shrugs.

Vesyllah chuckles. "You're sweet, Zaara. Naive…but sweet."

The Broken Messenger clears his throat.

Broken Messenger says: As I was saying…she hid for a time and managed to overhear some of the instructions being given to the Savari technicians. They have been deployed to the Botanica, the Mechanar, and the Arcatraz.

Broken Messenger says: In each wing, they installed what they called a "rune engine". Apparently, these are responsible for drawing the excessive ley energy, but we still do not know for what purpose. We need you to examine and disable them.

[Zaara]: I do not volunteer for this task!

[Thalstan]: We don't have Art with us, but I'm sure a old-fashioned smashing could do the trick.

[Zaara]: Oh, I can do that, yes.

Broken Messenger says: Ah. Well…destroy them if you must, but only as a last resort. We cannot know what kind of reaction that could cause.

[Zaara]: We do not have Art with us, *Zaara explains patiently to the messenger.*

[Tadget]: I really hope no one will be relying on me for arcane knowledge and subtlety.

[Thalstan]: We'll examine before we smash. *Thal offers, like it's a compromise*

[Tadget]: I can be subtle but only in the sense of like, really really quiet before I start frantically stabbing.

Broken Messenger blinks at Zaara. "Artistic sensibilities are admirable, but not particularly relevant in this situation."

[Zaara]: I can give lightning to the machine? This stops machines, often.

[Zaara]: No, not artistic. Art. Trouble.

[Thalstan]: Smash or lightning, we'll get it one way or the tother.

Broken Messenger just blinks at Zaara again.

Tadget gently pats Zaara.

Zaara smiles unhelpfully.

[Thalstan]: He's a fella. A mage engineer. Ye know, Art. Or if ye don't, ye will someday.

Broken Messenger shrugs. "Do what you feel is best, I suppose. Go now to Tempest Keep. Find the rune engines. Determine their purpose if you can, but shut them down."

Zaara stands at attention and salutes.

[Tadget]: Will do!

[Tadget]: I sure hope somebody here sort of understood some of that.

[Tadget]: You're really good at confusing people, Booty. I should take notes. Bilingual notes to make it more confusing.

[Thalstan]: I got it. Find a rune forge an' smash it.

[Thalstan]: Three of 'em, even, one in each wing!

[Vesyllah]: Rune engine.

[Thalstan]: Engine, forge…

[Tadget]: Okay. Road trip time!

[Tadget]: Or uh, sky trip.

Vesyllah smirks.

[Tadget]: I keep forgetting my gryphon can fly. Used to the mechanostrider life.

[Vesyllah]: It did sound like there was some urgency.

Tadget 's black-feathered badass gryphon powers through the rain.

Thalstan 's golden gryphon bravely faces the mild rainstorm.

Vesyllah 's onyx netherwing drake, Gothraku, soars moodily through the rain.

[Tadget]: Really love the spiky rocks.

[Thalstan]: Look like daggers, aye. Bit too large to wield though.

[Vesyllah]: Good for stabbing something really big.

[Vesyllah]: I wish Art was here. I bet he'd have some notion why the Savari are pumping so much energy into Tempest Keep.

[Tadget]: He's very in demand these days.

[Tadget]: That's the trouble with being a hot genius.

[Zaara]: But I do not have this trouble!

Tadget giggles.

[Tadget]: I'm gonna swing by and have my gryphon poop on Toshley's station. Just to say hi.

[Vesyllah]: A few weeks ago, some goblin tried to get me to come to a book signing.

[Thalstan]: Do ye not like 'em?

[Vesyllah]: What is Toshley's station?

[Zaara]: Not a draenei place.

[Tadget]: Little gnome town.

[Vesyllah]: Huh…so it is.

[Zaara]: Oh, it is very clanking.

[Tadget]: Okay. Netherstorm ahoy!

[Tadget]: Follow me. It's … very weird.

[Tadget]: We should probably take the semi normal route.

[Vesyllah]: Since when?

[Tadget]: Since I just decided this second.

[Vesyllah]: Yeah, that tracks.

[Tadget]: Enjoy the scenic views of ethereal crap.

[Vesyllah]: Oh, wow…so much toilet paper.

Tadget giggles.

[Tadget]: Okay get ready for some extreme weirdness.

[Zaara]: Okay!

[Tadget]: Maybe no one describe this to Zaara.

[Tadget]: I wish I could unsee, personally.

[Zaara]: … oh. *Zaara shudders unhappily.* I feel… the abmornals. Everything is wrong!

[Tadget]: Do you like the color purple, Zaara?

Vesyllah gazes out on the shattered, tempestuous landscape. "Cool."

[Tadget]: That's Area 52. Closest thing to civilization out here. Infested with goblins.

[Thalstan]: Did ye ever come out this way? The Keep was a draenei one, aye? Together with the Exodar?

[Tadget]: This used to be a very different place when Zaara lived here.

[Zaara]: Yes. It was not this feeling.

[Zaara]: But yes.

[Tadget]: It used to be a place called Farahlon.

[Thalstan]: If it feels anything like it looks… it's quite a feeling now.

[Tadget]: Anyway.

[Tadget]: Uh where were we headed again?

[Thalstan]: To th' east!

[Tadget]: K.

[Tadget]: Oh right, Tempest Keep you said? Or… sorry, wasn't really listening. I've found it does little good for me to listen to the details, as it's not really relevant to my part of the job usually.

[Tadget]: My part of the job is usually, whatever is in front of me, stab it.

[Zaara]: You do a good job!

[Thalstan]: I jus' need to remember not to stand right in front of ye.

[Tadget]: Good strategy.

[Tadget]: Welcome to Tempest Keep. Or re-welcome, for Zaara, probably.

[Vesyllah]: So…one wing at a time.

[Tadget]: Welcome to Tempest Keep. Or re-welcome, for Zaara, probably.

[Zaara]: I do not think welcome.

[Thalstan]: Welcome or not, here we are. Ready to head in and find that rune engine?

[Zaara]: Yes.

[Tadget]: And probably lots of stabble things, yes?

[Tadget]: Stabbable elves, I think they said?

[Tadget]: Stabbable elves are my favorite kind.

[Tadget]: Stab'dorei.

[Thalstan]: Aye. And Vesyllah is no' stab'dorei.

[Tadget]: Yet.

[Vesyllah]: Not with knives, anyway.

[Thalstan]: Ah, there's some stab'dorei right there.

Tadget slips into the shadows, stabbers ready.

[Vesyllah]: Get to stabbin'.

Tadget stabs.

Thalstan peers ahead. "They've really filled this place back up."

[Tadget]: I do like your people's aesthetic, Booty.

[Zaara]: Yes, we taste good.

The Botanica is full of elves, both kaldore and sin'dorei. Many are covered in tattoos resembling a demon hunter's, even if they do not glow.

[Thalstan]: Jus' wish villains would leave it alone.

[Tadget]: What's with the tattoos on these guys?

[Thalstan]: They don't seem Illidari. Maybe groupies?

[Vesyllah]: They look like demon hunter tattoos. But yeah…usually those kinda glow.

[Tadget]: Wannabes?

[Vesyllah]: Could be.

[Vesyllah]: Seems kinda culty to me.

[Tadget]: I mean, demon hunters are also kinda culty.

[Tadget]: Illidan cult.

[Vesyllah]: And now a Savari cult. Great.

[Thalstan]: Matching anything seems culty. Except Cobalt tabards, which are totally not culty.

[Tadget]: So this Savari guy must be hot?

[Tadget]: Savar*

[Vesyllah]: Pfft. He's no Illidan.

[Tadget]: How do you know, have you seen him?

[Tadget]: Also, Illidan's hot?

[Vesyllah]: I've…seen pictures.

[Vesyllah]: Oh hell yeah.

[Tadget]: Just when I think I understand what elves find hot…

[Tadget]: Quick test question: are dreadlords hot?

Vesyllah considers.

[Tadget]: Oh my god.

[Vesyllah]: Kinda?

Tadget lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

[Zaara]: … what?

[Zaara]: I take it back. You are a bad elf.

[Tadget]: Like, that she even had to stop to think. And then said kinda.

Vesyllah laughs.

[Tadget]: Verging on stab'dorei honestly.

[Thalstan]: Ye might not want ta date, Vengeance, wi' that kinda radar.

Tadget cackles maniacally at the situation.

[Vesyllah]: I didn't say I'd f**k one. They're just kinda hot.

Tadget peers more closely at one of the fallen stab'dorei's tattoos.

Thalstan peers ahead. "Looks like a buncha guards around somebody. Seems important. Stab time?"

[Vesyllah]: Stab time.

Commander Nassrian says: Surrender now, and Savar will embrace you!

Commander Nassrian says: Fools! What are a handful of lives compared to the salvation of an entire universe?

Commander Nassrian says: Shal'dor falah eru Draenor….

[Tadget]: She thought Savar was trying to save the universe?

[Tadget]: Why do I feel like that's not true in any way that would make sense to normal people?

[Thalstan]: That seems… deluded, doesn't ti?

[Thalstan]: Certainly no' somethin' I'll take her word for.

[Vesyllah]: Like I said…culty.

[Tadget]: My son misspelled cult in a REALLY funny way the other day.

Vesyllah snickers.

[Thalstan]: Oh, aye?

[Tadget]: You might call it, death by a thousand cults.

Thalstan chuckles.

[Vesyllah]: What a way to go.

Tadget cackles maniacally at Vesyllah.

[Tadget]: I assign them essays when I visit.

[Thalstan]: Are they no' toddlers?

[Vesyllah]: That's just cruel.

[Tadget]: They love it.

[Tadget]: They're gnomes.

[Tadget]: They love to show off what they know.

[Vesyllah]: So, this place is like a big greenhouse for the Keep?

[Tadget]: Yeah.

[Tadget]: Or used to be.

[Tadget]: For a while everything here has just been a big old mess.

[Thalstan]: Maybe one day again.

Botanist Tiflos shouts at the Cobalt Blade: "You must stop, before you doom us all in your ignorance!"

[Tadget]: The universe has a real problem with big empty spaces always being filled by— yeah, guys like that.

[Thalstan]: Give us a peer-reviewed reason, then!

Tadget laughs at Thalstan.

Botanist Tiflos sighs, "The Burning Legion would transform Outland into a hub from which to launch their invasions upon a thousand new worlds. That can never be allowed, and so Outland must be destroyed."

[Tadget]: Wow Thalstan, that was really gnomey. Love it.

Botanist Tiflos says: It is a tragic outcome, but a necessary one. Like burning a small part of a forest to prevent a wildfire from destroying the whole of it.

[Thalstan]: Or… protected? Why do you people always say needs to be destroyed?

[Tadget]: There are people in this forest, dummy.

Thalstan grins at Tadget.

[Tadget]: They might prefer not to be destroyed.

[Thalstan]: Aye, why not work on your wildfire prevention?

Botanist Tiflos says: Some sacrifices are necessary. It is sad, but it must be done. Would you allow the Legion to continue unchecked, when you have an opportunity to cripple their advancement?

[Tadget]: I kind of see your logic as far as the problem goes, but your solution is extremely defective.

[Thalstan]: Defective. *Thal nods firmly.* We won't let them continue unchecked. We'll check 'em. And then defeat 'em.

[Zaara]: We will fight the last battle with the Legion! You only break more broken things!

[Tadget]: The Burning Legion seems pretty stabbable so far. I'm gonna go with that plan.

[Thalstan]: Broken things deserve a chance to heal! Not whatever your lot are planning.

Botanist Tiflos says: Other solutions have been tried. The advance of the Legion has barely stumbled. Drastic threats require drastic measures.

[Tadget]: Hey you know what, you seem like a drastic threat to me.

[Zaara]: You are a drastic dumb ass.

Tadget cackles maniacally at the situation.

[Thalstan]: All of us banding together to face the Legion, aye.

[Tadget]: Time for drastic measures, guys?

[Thalstan]: But if ye don't want to be part o' that, yer part o' the problem.

[Thalstan]: I'm ready for drastic measures.

Tadget nods at Thalstan.

Tadget cheers at Thalstan!

Botanist Tiflos says: You sadden me with your short-sightedness. You leave me no choice but to destroy you.

[Tadget]: Oh I think you do have one other option.

[Vesyllah]: Cocky, this one.

[Tadget]: Allow me to demonstrate it.

[Zaara]: EAT A STORM!

[Tadget]: I need a good catchphrase.

Tadget stabs.

Stabbing is her catchphrase.

[Vesyllah]: Oooh…he was growing some good stuff…

[Tadget]: Focus, Vengeance.

[Vesyllah]: Right.w

[Thalstan]: Uh.. what kinda stuff?

[Vesyllah]: Several varieties of mushrooms. Good for…um…entertainment.

Thalstan repeats dryly, "Entertainment."

[Tadget]: Oh, demons, I'm shocked, shocked.

[Thalstan]: I'd say why is it always demons?

[Thalstan]: But I know.

[Vesyllah]: Makes sense. Illidan used demons to fight demons, too.

[Thalstan]: Seems like using demons ta fight demons has a pretty high failure rate for endin' up jus' workin' fer demons.

[Tadget]: Yep.

[Vesyllah]: I dunno…Illidan made some impressive strides.

Tadget eyes Ves.

[Thalstan]: Did he though? I mean, Temple o' Karabor full o' demons…

[Tadget]: You wish he'd impressively stride into your bedroom.

[Vesyllah]: I have to wonder if we'd have been better off just letting him do his thing.

[Tadget]: Okay that's one too far, lady.

[Thalstan]: Are ye getting second thoughts about Savar?

[Vesyllah]: Savar is just a second-rate Illidan wannabe.

Tadget lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

[Thalstan]: Okay, let's kill this big demon…

[Thalstan]: I'm on the side o' killin' demons.

Briarscowl the Caretaker says: Shal'dor falah eru Draenor!

Briarscowl the Caretaker says: Savar cannot be stopped!

[Thalstan]: I see a corridor over there… maybe it's further in?

[Vesyllah]: I haven't seen anything that looks like an engine yet. Just a bunch of plants.

[Tadget]: Did they specifically say the engine did not look like a plant?

[Thalstan]: Invisademons!

[Vesyllah]: Technically, no.

[Tadget]: Maybe we walked right by it.

[Thalstan]: If we wouldn't know it when we saw it, Kirrik would've said.

[Vesyllah]: I'm not sure Kirrik would know. We only found out about the rune engines because of that Sha'tar engineer.

[Tadget]: Well, I say we clear this whole place out, then we can look at our leisure.

[Tadget]: Also just, you know, public service.

[Tadget]: Your friendly neighborhood cult eliminators.

[Vesyllah]: Fair enough. Then the Sha'tar can come secure it again…and maybe keep it this time.

[Thalstan]: Uh… if it's a plant engine, maybe something like that…

[Thalstan]: We could kill it to make sure?

[Tadget]: Sounds good.

[Vesyllah]: Fine by me. Maybe I can harvest something good from it.

Laj emits a strange noise.

[Tadget]: Gross!

Tadget lets out a hacking cough.

Vesyllah looks over the dead plant and takes a few cuttings.

[Tadget]: Ack.

[Tadget]: Okay that part of draenei architecture I could do without.

Thalstan pauses on the seethrough walkway. "Gosh."

[Tadget]: The whole see-through bridge bit.

Standing guard in the chamber ahead is a Fel Reaver, now painted in Savari markings, like enormous tattoos.

[Tadget]: Oh hey, check out the paint job.

[Tadget]: Oh hey, check out the paint job.

[Thalstan]: They even recruited a fel reaver to their cult.

[Vesyllah]: If anything is this place is gonna have an engine….

Tadget spins around as a bunch of nuisance plants approach, mowing them down with blades.

Vesyllah harvests various bits from the dead plants.

[Thalstan]: Let's take down the fel reaver, then see what we can find?

Tadget salutes Thalstan with respect.

[Vesyllah]: Right. Because…taking down a fel reaver should be easy….

[Zaara]: You!

The fel reaver lets out a terrifying howl!

[Tadget]: Fel reavers are no match for the Cobalt Blade!!

[Tadget]: COBOLT BLADE!

The fel reaver roars as it collapses with a mighty crash!

[Zaara]: COBOLT — yes.

Tadget giggles at Zaara.

[Thalstan]: Anyone see a sign of an engine anywhere?

[Vesyllah]: I think we just killed one.

[Zaara]: No!

[Tadget]: Wait, the fel reaver WAS the engine?

Vesyllah climbs up onto the chest of the fallen machine.

[Thalstan]: OH! You think it was the fel reaver?

[Vesyllah]: I don't see anything else enginey around here.

[Tadget]: I guess it is a big machine.

[Tadget]: I'll buy it.

[Thalstan]: What do ye see in its guts?

[Vesyllah]: Think we can pry this plate off the chest?

[Tadget]: Go for it.

Tadget backs up.

[Vesyllah]: Uh…Thalstan? Could use a little help here.

[Zaara]: I think it is okay we did not have Art. I do not know if Art could engineer peacefully a fel reaver.

Tadget giggles at Zaara.

[Zaara]: It was an okay destroy.

[Tadget]: He probably would have understood this better, but… yeah, we got it done.

Thalstan clambers up. "Let me get my sword in it and see if I can lever…"

Thalstan tries to use his sword as a prybar to get the chest open.

Vesyllah does her best to help Thal, but it's really mostly him.

The damaged chest plate pries open, revealing a now-defunct engine of some kind within. Its surface is carved in runes glowing fel-green.

[Thalstan]: Aha! It's some sort o' fel engine. *Thal pokes it a few times with his sword, to make sure it's really defunct*

[Vesyllah]: Hoh-lee shit…look here at these crystals plugged into it. Those are felblood crystals. Sometimes felblood elves kinda…grow them. When they're really corrupted.

[Tadget]: Wait what kinda elves?

[Tadget]: I thought I knew all the kinds.

[Tadget]: fel'dorei?

[Thalstan]: They grow on 'em like mushrooms? *Thal's eyes are wide*

[Vesyllah]: Felblood. It's a Kael'thas thing. Some of his people got extra fel-tainted.

Vesyllah nods to Thal. "On…or in."

[Vesyllah]: Like tumors.

[Tadget]: Ohhhh, I didn't know they had their own name. I just thought all blood elves were pretty much the same pile of fel-tainted garbage.

[Vesyllah]: These are extra garbagey.

[Thalstan]: Oh aye, the ones that went ta eatin' fel and all that.

Tadget lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

[Tadget]: Elves, man…

[Thalstan]: And they made an engine out of them?

[Vesyllah]: Seems like it? I didn't know that was even possible. But I'm pretty damn sure that's what these are.

[Thalstan]: Huh. Makes me wonder if he's got felblood elves hostage somewhere. Not that we'd free 'em exactly, but…

[Vesyllah]: This engine thing doesn't look too heavy. Think we can pry it out for Art to look at later?

[Tadget]: Is it gonna taint us?

[Vesyllah]: I hope not?

[Thalstan]: Let me give it a try…

[Tadget]: Super reassuring.

Thalstan does his best to lever out the engine without smashing it completely.

A few things definitely pop off or break…but Thalstan is able to remove the damaged engine mostly intact.

Tadget stands waayyyy back.

[Thalstan]: Okay, I think that's got it. I'm not relishing carrying this thing back to Shattrath, but… we'd best do it.

Zaara wrinkles her nose.

[Tadget]: I'm gonna fly wayyyy in the back of the formation.

[Tadget]: Uh, you know, in case anything sneaks up behind us.

[Vesyllah]: Riiight.

[Vesyllah]: Let's get the fel outta here.

[Thalstan]: I know, I know. My job. Jus' like the ogre loincloths.

[Tadget]: Ves that is literally what we're doing.

[Vesyllah]: Yes, very good. You understand wordplay.

Tadget sighs at you.

Thalstan hoists the engine with a grunt and agrees. "Aye, let's get the fel out of here, an' let the draenei fix this place back up."

[Tadget]: Hooray for draenei!

[Tadget]: Honestly, they kinda rule.

[Zaara]: Yes!

[Tadget]: I am now going to proceed to fly very far away from the rest of you.

[Vesyllah]: Gothraku can probably carry that thing. He's pretty strong.

Thalstan offers it to Ves. "Far be it from me ta protest."

Gothraku sniffs at the engine and growls. But, begrudgingly, he grips it in his foreclaws and ascends to carry it back to Shattrath City.