(2026-01-04) Introduction to the Order of the Cloud Serpent

Details

Author:	Alli
Summary:	Arric (and Rica), Gwenivene, Lena, Shine (and Bun) and Shun attend a welcome meeting hosted by Elder Anli of the Order of the Cloud Serpent at the Arboretum. They learn about the order's history and strategies of serpent training, as well as how cute the cloud serpent hatchlings are. ~4100 words
Rating:	T for Teen

Lena's kite lands at the cloud serpent training grounds and she dismounts, looking around at the serpents with their trainers.

Shun quietly steps up, nodding to Lena.

"Hello again," Lena says, smiling at Shun. "I think the Elder we're meant to meet should be in that… open building, up ahead."

Shun nods and turns.

Shine lands a moment behind Lena and pauses to collect a tanuki passenger from the kite. He sets the tanuki on his shoulders, where it drapes itself heavily like a smug scarf.

A ginger-haired hunter arrives, followed closely by a nearly-grown Lashtail raptor, bright red with turquoise stripes and brilliant blue eyes. The raptor eyes the tanuki hungrily, but does not make any aggressive moves toward it.

The tanuki raises its head to eye Rica right back. Friend or food?

Shine nods to Arric.

The raptor looks at the hunter. "Rica, I think that's a pet," Arric says. "Be friendly."

"Yes, don't hurt Bun," Lena clarifies, just in case Rica needs it to be more clear. "Please."

Rica looks back at the tanuki, somehow giving the impression of sulkiness despite her inscrutable reptilian features.

"Bun is a team member," Shine tells the raptor, extremely dryly.

"Oh is that so?" Arric looks fascinated. "What does Bun do?" He peers at the little critter optimistically.

"Eat things," Shun mutters.

"Eats things, mostly," Shine agrees. "Occasionally he's killed a bug."

Arric chuckles. "Rica does a good deal of that as well. Good to see you, by the way, Mr. Shine."

Shine nods again. "Yourself as well. Good to see ye made it out here."

"Utterly splendid place, Pandaria," Arric enthuses.

Lena grins at the animals, and then glances to Arric. "Thinking of trading the flying machine for a cloud serpent?"

[Arric]: "Oh, not so much trading as… adding, perhaps? If I'm fortunate. I still have a great deal to learn about the creatures. Which is to say… everything."

Rica makes a quiet hiss-clacking sound.

Arric reaches back to scratch the crown of Rica's head. "They are lovely, but you are still my only daughter, my sweet. Don't fret."

"Well, I suppose that's what we're here for," Lena says with a smile, and tilts her head towards the open building where the Elder waits.

"Ye seem to have a knack for reptiles already," Shine observes, and then knits his brow and glances at a cloud serpent. "… they're reptiles, aye?"

Rica narrows her eyes at Shine.

"They… seem so?" Lena looks back at him with a slight shrug. "This is the closest I've seen them personally."

"Be surprised if they are not," Shun states.

Arric murmurs quietly to Shine, "Rica thinks of herself as a person," he explains. "She was raised by humans, largely, so."

"Nothing but respect, madame," Shine assures the raptor seriously.

Rica cocks her head at Shine and studies him in what appears to be mild surprise.

Gwenivene hurries over to the Cobalt gathering. "H-hey!" she says, out of breath. "I'm here! Have we started?"

"We were about to," Lena answers with a smile. "Good to see you again."

Shun greets, "Oi."

"Miss Whittle!" Arric says genially. Rica makes a small grating sound that seems friendly.

Elder Anli, a black and white pandaren with bright green eyes and chopsticks holding back her dark hair, waves a greeting to the outsiders.

Arric waves back!

"Rica, stay," says Arric.

Gwen beams at Lena, "Lovely to see you again, too! Hello, all…oh my, is that Rica? How you've grown!"

Rica straightens to her full height and makes a chrrrrr sound at Gwen.

“Welcome, welcome all, to the Order of the Cloud Serpent’s training grounds,” Anli smiles, ushering everyone into the small building. “I am Elder Anli. We have heard you are curious about our wonderful creatures here.”

Gwen shuts up quickly as the Elder starts to speak.

Rica remains outside the enclosure, as instructed.

Lena's smile brightens at Gwen’s enthusiastic greeting, and then Anli’s. She steps into the building with its hay-strewn floor. Little baby cloudy serpents flit here and there.

Arric is clearly trying not to squee out loud at the tiny baby cloud serpents.

Shun tilts his head.

Bun gazes complacently back at Rica as he is toted into the building by Shine.

Rica narrows her eyes at Bun.

"They're such cute little creatures," Lena says, watching one scrabble to land on top of a small stone.

“You may have seen the acolytes at the temple training with their cloud serpents,” Anli says, gesturing in the direction of the Temple of the Jade Serpent. “It is not only for pandaren. Our order welcomes all who are willing.”

Shine raises his brow. He glances in the direction of the temple and nods.

"I'd say it was hard to imagine that such a cute little darling could become such a beautiful and majestic and powerful creature, but I've watched Rica grow up, so." He flashes a smile back to Rica. She seems mollified.

“I have invited you here to learn about the history of our order, and how the bond between cloud serpent and rider first grew,” Anli explains. “Please, have a seat, and I will teach you. Ask any questions as you have them.”

"Splendid!" says Arric. "Thank you."

Lena looks around, and then sits with her back to a pillar. No need to be jump-scared by a baby cloud serpent.

Shine takes a seat beside Lena. Bun clambers down from his shoulders and into his lap.

Gwen settles in, wiggling excitedly. "I can't wait to tell Amethyraku all about cloud serpents. I think she'd be fascinated."

"You're quite welcome, all of you," Anli smiles at Arric, and then everyone. "Amethyraku is a friend?"

Arric takes out a fancy but lightweight paper-bound notebook and opens it to a fresh page. He retrieves a fancy pen and prepares to take some notes.

Gwen nods, "A dear friend. She's a netherwing dragon. They're a very unusual breed."

Arric gives Gwen a warm, uvuncular smile. "I didn't know you had such a rare companion! We shall have to talk more about her sometime." He turns his attention back to Elder Anli.

Gwen gives Arric an eager nod and whispers, "I'll introduce you sometime."

"Netherwing dragon, how interesting!" Anli says. "I would love to meet her someday. So now, as with most things here in Pandaria, we begin with a story."

Arric gives Gwen a little wink, then turns with preemptive fascination toward Anli.

Lena looks a touch warily, a touch impressed, at Gwen, befriender of netherwing dragons.

Anli sits facing the group and prepares to tell the story. “During the Zandalari Wars, just after the founding of the Pandaren Empire, a young girl named Jiang was walking through the Arboretum when she heard a noise.”

Lena raises her eyebrows. This arboretum is thousands of years old…?

Shine focuses intently on Anli when she says Zandalari Wars.

“A small cloud serpent lay there on the ground, injured and near death,” Anli gestures as if holding a small and fragile creature. “With a mother's gentleness, Jiang took this small creature into her arms and into her care."

“She named him Lo,” Anli says, “and they became fast friends.”

Rica makes a little sound. "I know," Arric says to her warmly.

"Awww, so sweet. Little Lo." Gwen says.

“Cloud serpents were not loved then, as they are now,” Anli explains, raising a hand towards one flying by. “Serpents, you see, were feared as monsters and wild animals, both cunning and dangerous.”

Rica hisses softly.

Shun tilts his head.

“When Jiang brought Lo back home, the townsfolk shunned her, and begged for her to get rid of Lo before he became old enough to hurt her,” Anli looks sorrowful.

"Shunned means avoided," Arric explains, to… the raptor behind him.

Lena watches curiously, her brow gently creased.

“Jiang and Lo were not welcome in the village for some time,” Anli continues. “But then one day, the Zandalari army pushed as far south as the Jade Forest.”

Anli raises her hands, gesturing like something riding on the waves. “Monsters from the sea, these trolls launched an attack against Pandaria. Jiang answered the call to arms, and defended her people on the beaches.”

Rica makes an angry raptor sound.

"Shhh shhh shhh," says Arric to Rica. "It's only a story, darling."

"Even though they shunned her," Lena says quietly.

Shine looks grim. He checks over his shoulder, possibly for signs of stray thousand-year-old Zandalari.

Rica looks where Shine looked, also checking maybe.

Lena glances at Shine, and then also checks. Did he see something? Nope, no thousand-year old trolls.

“It was in one of these battles that Jiang nearly perished at the hands of a troll spear,” Anli moves a hand like the spear thrust. “Just as the weapon was inches from her heart, Lo came to the rescue.”

Shun grunts.

Rica's eyes get a bit wider. She might be too young for this story.

“The serpent, only half grown, swooped in and ripped the troll limb from limb,” Anli claws her hands, ripping apart an imaginary troll. “He then gathered up the wounded Jiang and flew her far from the battle to safety.”

Gwenivene gasps aloud!

Lena looks impressed… and a little wary again. Half-grown, and so strong…

Shine eyes one of the hatchlings respectfully.

Rica bends to run her muzzle over the barely-visible scaleless stripes on her back, a habitual self-comfort gesture.

“When she was well enough, Jiang approached the leaders of Pandaria's defenses. These were the great warrior monks who defended the land from the trolls and other dangers,” Anli says with quiet pride.

Bun is dozing. No one here had snacks for him.

“Jiang tried to explain to them how serpents could help, how Lo had saved her, how she knew how to turn the tide of battle,” Anli says.

"But they'd already decided not to listen to her…" Lena murmurs.

“Yes, her words fell on deaf ears,” Anli’s expression falls into sadness. “The monks were mired in their own wisdom, and chose to continue their defense in the way they saw fit.”

"Reminds me of certain Tirasian nobles…" Arric mutters.

Shine glances at Arric.

Gwen quietly harumphs in frustration. "Even the wise can get lost in their own perspectives."

"People in charge do tend like their own wisdom," Lena agrees wryly. "I suppose that's everywhere."

Gwen nods, sighing.

Arric catches Shine's glance and flashes him a little smile. "Not the Admiral of course," he quickly whispers. "I mean my parents and their ilk."

Shine nods gravely. "Didn't think it."

"Oh, aye, the Admiral's fair open-minded," Lena nods.

Arric nods back in kind. Manly and stoic nod, yes.

“Jiang did not give up though. This rejection only fueled her resolve. The war continued. Several days later, the Zandalari had pushed in from the coast. It was on the great bridge near Dawn's Blossom that the pandaren champions stood their ground,” Anli says, her paw describing the arc of the bridge.

“With an effort they tried to hold back the trolls, and were losing,” Anli says in distress. “The Zandalari numbers were vast, and their bat riders fought in such a way the pandaren had no counter to. All hope of victory began to fade.”

Rica is riveted, hanging on Anli's words as though she were preparing to stalk and eat them.

"Bat riders," Lena says, raising her eyebrows.

Shine looks grim.

"One of their many loa is Hireek, a bat-god," Arric trollsplains.

Lena nods. "Think I heard of that fellow down in Stranglethorn."

“And then what should appear to the eyes of an onlooker?” Anli smiles. “Jiang riding atop her friend Lo! The two friends swooped in, plucking the Zandalari from the bridge and striking down their bat riders. None could stand before the fury of these two friends.”

Shun folds his arms over his chest.

Rica makes a small triumphant little sound.

"I suppose by then, they'd practiced on how to fight together," Lena nods. "Instead of just going on instinct."

“Exactly. The war would still take many months to win, but this was the turning point,” Anli raises one paw. “Soon Jiang was training other pandaren how to ride as she did, upon the backs of other serpents.”

Arric sighs wistfully, obviously envious.

Rica frets a little.

“Jiang and Lo were heroes! From that day forward, the serpent became a symbol of hope to the pandaren people, and the Order of the Cloud Serpent was founded,” Anli gestures around her, “To this day they protect and serve all of the Jade Forest.”

Rica makes a complex trilling sound.

Arric waits to see if there is more or if it is Question Time.

"A lovely story," Lena smiles. "It's good she didn't let them convince her to abandon the serpent, or her way of protecting her people."

It appears to be Question Time.

Arric raises his hand dutifully.

"Yes? A question?" Anli blinks brightly at Arric.

[Arric]: "Yes, I was wondering, how intelligent are cloud serpents, compared to humans? Or pandaren."

"Oh, I'd say they're very intelligent," Anli answers with a smile. "That is part of what's behind our training method here. We are not simply training a beast, but forging a bond."

"Do they respond to verbal commands?" Arric persists enthusiastically. "How complex is their understanding of language?"

"Ooh, maybe they communicate telepathically?" Gwen perks up. "That's how Amey and I talk."

Shun tilts his head.

Shine regards Gwen with a raised brow.

"They do understand language," Anli nods. "Though I have only ever heard Yu'lon speak, she is quite an unusual example — a Celestial, in the form of a cloud serpent."

"I have a theory that there may be some long-distant link between cloud serpents and their earthbound scaly sisters, the raptors of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms," says Arric, which is more of a comment than a question really. "And raptors, under the right circumstances, can develop quite a sophisticated understanding of Common."

"Oh, is your raptor very intelligent?" Anli asks, smiling in Rica's direction. "Hello, little one!"

"That would be fascinating," Gwen says to Arric. "It would certainly fit with how smart raptors are."

Rica makes a sound that is not a word, but remarkably gives the impression that daaaaa-aaaad is embarrassing her.

"I'm sorry, my love," says Arric to Rica. "I just find you so interesting!"

Gwen raises her hand.

"Yes, miss?" Anli smiles at Gwen.

"I'm wondering about the mechanics of their flight. Is it some sort of arcane resistance field? Or maybe their bodies are ethereally aligned to ley flows? Or is it as simple as anti-gravitic magic combined with psychokinetic propulsion?" Gwen nerds out.

Arric blinks at Gwen, his smile slightly fixed.

Shine's eyebrow goes up another tick.

Anli stares at her for a moment, maybe waiting to see if she's going to translate the foreign — oh wait, that wasn't in a foreign language. "Oh, that is… likely… magic? The serpents would know better than I, though they cannot tell you."

Gwen nods, smiling to try to cover her disappointment. But she almost immediately brightens. "Perhaps I'll get to ask them!"

"Yes, perhaps you will!" Anli says brightly. "I was going to speak with you also about how to become a member of our Order, and how to train a serpent… if that would be of interest?"

Arric gasps.

Gwen gasps in unison.

Lena's eyes widen, and she glances at a nearby hatchling doing a little loop in the air.

Gwen glances excitedly at the others. "I think that would very much be of interest!"

Rica makes a grumbling sound.

Lena glances to Shine and says, "I don't think the fleet would… well, there's no harm in knowing…"

Shine gives Lena an extremely bland look.

"Oh they'd be a tremendous asset to the fleet!" Arric says confidently.

"No," says Shine mildly.

"Still of interest," Lena says, glancing from Arric to Anli.

"Sailors often employ trained birds for various purposes," Arric points out, "and these would be both more intelligent and likely uh… tidier."

Gwen covers her mouth and giggles.

"Maybe for the air fleet," Shine says, still bland, though he has fixed a look on Arric like he is trying to convey something telepathically.

"Aye, we can bring it to Rogers," Lena nods again, smiling.

Shine tilts his head equably toward Lena.

"And as they seem to prefer hovering even at rest, they wouldn't even take up any deck space!" Arric studies Shine, and belatedly seems to get the message. "Er, so the Admiral should be kept informed, for the future. At some point."

"For the future," Lena agrees.

Shine nods again and returns his bland attention to Anli.

“Part of our training touches on their intelligence. Our people do not tame cloud serpents, in the way you may be thinking,” Anli explains. “Each member of our order raises their own cloud serpent from a hatchling.”

"Oh, that's exactly how I raised my Rica!" Arric says. "Not on purpose, exactly, but it does create a more familial bond than what I have with my animal companions." His inflection suggests that Rica is not an animal.

“The bond between rider and serpent is one of trust and compassion,” Anli smiles over toward the cloud serpent stables. “Which it does seem like what you have between you and Rica.”

"It's so adorable how they dote on each other." Gwen says…then quickly adds, "In a very manly way, of course."

Arric eyes Gwen suspiciously.

Shine contemplates Rica's manliness bemusedly.

"She is, for all intents and purposes, my daughter," Arric says, lifting his chin with a slight air of defiance.

Lena glances at Gwen with an amused smile, but nods.

[Arric]: "That is in fact what her full name, Arric'aka, means, and she was given it by a seer of sorts. It means, daughter of Arric."

Rica chrrs.

"Awwww!" Gwen gives Rica big doe eyes.

"By a seer?" Lena says curiously. "I didn't realize such a history."

[Arric]: "Oh the story is quite fascinating; I shall tell you sometime if you like!"

"I'd be interested to hear," Lena says.

“If you choose to become a member of this order, it may feel somewhat similar. You will select an egg, and that serpent will not only be your mount one day, but also your dear friend, as Lo was to Jiang,” Anli explains.

Arric looks a bit starry-eyed.

Shun furrows his brow a bit.

"Rica, you could have a little brother or sister!" he says, turning back toward the raptor. Rica stares at him deadpan. "He or she would look up to you, and you could help train it!" Rica seems to consider this - this doesn't sound ALL bad…

“It is a long process, raising a cloud serpent, but we would guide you along the way,” Anli smiles. “There are many traditions. For instance, our people regularly play catch with their growing serpents.”

"Play… catch?" Lena blinks.

"See, that sounds like fun, doesn't it Rica? You could help!" Rica literally sighs. This is not a thing wild raptors do. She sighs in clear exasperation.

"What is the purpose of the games?" Lena asks. "Simply… bonding?"

“It may seem like a children’s game, but it’s an important lesson!” Anli says. "It teaches you to read each other's moves, and also instills in the serpent and rider a vital give-and-take relationship.”

"Ah, for fighting," Lena nods, and then amends to, "And for understanding one another."

"…How long do they take to grow?" Shun asks.

"They grow quite quickly," Anli says with a smile. "You will not be waiting decades for your companion — a hatchling will be large enough to ride within a year."

Shun blinks, then nods.

Rica makes a sound of distress.

"I will still ride you when you are large enough, my dear, I promise," says Arric solemnly.

"Once your serpent is large enough to ride, there are plenty here who race their young ones, for practice," Anli says, gesturing over towards the checkered flags by the cliff.

"Oh a race! How thrilling!" Arric is clearly on board with this.

Arric leans over to Gwen and quietly explains, "Rica remembers seeing the very large raptors that served as mounts for the trolls, and I believe she wants to provide me the same service one day. Her bloodline suggests she may eventually reach that size."

Gwen flashes Rica a beaming smile. "That's is just darling. I love seeing the bond between you two."

Arric beams back at Gwen. Raptors do not beam, but Rica gives Gwen a friendly stare.

"Such a bond is a treasure," Anli nods. "And the kind of thing we seek to nurture. At its heart, our philosophy here is about the difference between steel and iron. Do you know what I mean by that?”

"Not… precisely?" Arric admits.

Lena shakes her head.

[Arric]: "I can think of several differences, but only as apply to engineering."

"With iron," Anli says, "a smith heats and hammers the metal, forcing it into the shape they want it to be. When it cools, it becomes blackened and brittle. Though it may seem strong for a time, it will break when you need it most.”

Lena looks a little doubtful, but nods politely.

“On the other hand, the strongest steel is forged through love,” Anli smiles. “A smith folds it with the utmost care, hundreds upon hundreds of times. Such is the Order of the Cloud Serpent. We are the smiths, and the serpents are our steel.”

Shine contemplates the amount of love that goes into forging steel.

"Ah, a metaphor," Lena says with a nod. "Like with the Lorewalker's stories."

"Hmmmm," says Arric, clearly restraining the urge to ironsplain.

Anli smiles peacefully at the little loved hatchlings.

[Arric]: "Those little ones certainly seem easy enough to love. They're almost as adorable as Rica was as a hatchling." This last is pitched clearly for Rica's earholes.

"Certainly very cute," Lena nods. "It sounds as though caring for a cloud serpent is a rather big commitment."

Anli nods. "That it is. We welcome those who have the open heart and the willingness to put forth the necessary time and effort. Questions, anyone?"

"I think I'd be a perfect candidate," Arric says, which is definitely more of a comment than a question.

Shine shakes his head. On his own behalf, presumably, not Arric's.

"Oh, you'd be welcome in the Order," Anli smiles.

[Arric]: "Splendid! I'll be in touch once I'm ready to focus on the endeavor."

"I think… I'm quite interested in learning more about the creatures," Lena says. "But I may not have the time to commit to raising one. I'll let others know the Order welcomes them."

"Oh one more question," says Arric. "Is there a naming convention when it comes to cloud serpents? Do they have preferred sorts of names?"

"That varies with the rider," Anli says. "Even just now, you can see the older ones in the training fields… Li Ying, Sun, Agara, Hyacinth, Cinder… a wide variety of names," Anli nods agreeably. "I've never heard a serpent complain about their own name."

"Good, good," says Arric. He adds to his notes, which he's been taking sparsely and slowly in an elegant hand.

"Any other questions?" Anli asks, looking around. "If not, you're welcome to wander around and explore the training grounds."

Shun shakes his head.

"I have so many questions…but they're all jumbling around in my brain." Gwen makes a frazzled face. "I'll sort them out soon."

Anli looks to Gwen with a smile. "I'll be here, whenever the questions settle into order."

"I think I shall take a little look around," Arric says.

Lena nods. "Me as well. Thank you, Elder Anli, for the introduction."

Arric returns to Rica and gives her a long head-scratch, as well as a huge chunk of meat from his pack. After unwrapping the meat of course. It was not just slithering around in his bag.

"Yes, thank you!" Gwen beams. "This was wonderful."

Shine lifts Bun from his lap to set him back on his shoulders. The tanuki blinks sleepily. He has a question: Snacks?

Shun nods, "Thank you for the lecture."

Lena glances over at the sleepy tanuki and smiles. "Might need to head back to Paw'don for some dumplings soon."

Shine smiles at Lena as he gets to his feet. He offers her a hand up.

Arric leads Rica off so they can look at the cloud serpents from a respectful distance.

Lena takes his hand as she rises to her feet.

Gwen wanders to look around…mostly ending up just cooing over the baby cloud serpents.

"At least knowing more about them, I can tell the fleet," Lena observes to Shine. "How they're like dragons, and how different."

Shine nods mildly at Lena. "Aye."