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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | Arric, Atley, Lena, Melancholy and Mi Shu meet up with Lorewalker Cho in Onekeg and hear his surprising account of the ancient origin of the grummles. ~4100 words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Arric sits by the bonfire in the center of Onekeg, gazing thoughtfully into the flames.
Atley marches into One Keg, helmet under his arm. He snacks on strips of jerky as he idly glances around, nodding at the occasional local.
"Sir Atley!" Arric says amiably.
Atley inclines his head. "Arric," he greets. "How's the day?"
Arric glances up at the dark sky and says, "Over!" with a smile.
Lena walks carefully out of the inn, using her crutches. She seems to be getting around better now than she was a week ago.
Arric pushes his goggles up onto his forehead and rises as Lena approaches. "Do you need any help?" he asks.
Lena is accompanied by a tall young woman with curly black hair dressed in a black and red outfit, with a black hat and black veil, heavily made up with dark eyeliner and a bold red lip. She offers no assistance, but she walks with Lena's pace.
"Good evening," Arric says to the other woman, and gives a slight bow. Ginger hair slips down over the goggles and is pushed back when he straightens up.
Atley steps forward as well, frowning at Lena.
Arric adjusts his goggles so they sit just under his hairline, and steps closer to see if Lena needs any assistance in sitting.
Lena smiles at Arric. "Oh, it's no trouble, I'm getting used to it. Maybe, only… on the sitting down part."
Lena gets to her seat without much trouble, but does reach out for Arric to help her down.
Mi Shu wanders out from the inn to join the group, "Hello everyone." She says with a bow.
Atley looks at Mi Shu and inclines his head. "Made it to the steppes, have you?"
"Good evening!" Arric says warmly to Mi Shu.
"Good evening. I have! I'm eager to keep exploring Pandaria." Mimi answers Dane.
Melancholy takes a seat next to Lena, and gives only a partial lean forward back. "Oh, hello. I don't think I've met you," she says to Arric, but looks over at Dane curiously. "You, though, look oddly familiar."
Once Lena is comfortably settled, Arric returns to his seat.
"I'm Arric," he says. "With Cobalt Company's White Squad."
Atley nods at Mi Shu, "As are we. Good to see you about." He turns to Melancholy and furrows his brow before he bows. "Can't say we've met, Miss. I'm Sir Dane Atley."
"Melancholy Grimlocke, of House Grimlocke," Melancholy introduces. "Newly apprenticed to Mrs. Lena Shine. Good to meet you. Oh — Sir Dane Atley the Red, that's where I know you. I've heard of you, of course. House Ference's knight. Duskwood's pride."
"Melancholy!" says Arric. "Ah, my sister would adore that name. Bit of a poet, my sister." He smiles.
Melancholy gives Arric a red lipped smile. "My brother Torment's a poet, so we're matched there," she says.
Atley scoffs with amusement. "Aye, Lord Ference has taken me far. All of us." He looks between Melancholy and Averlena and grunts. "S'good to meet you, my lady."
"Torment!" Arric looks enraptured. "Absolutely marvelous."
Melancholy gives a dark tinkling laugh.
Mimi looks a bit nervous about the ominous names, but says nothing about it.
As the conversation progresses, Lorewalker Cho makes his way over to the warm fire, waving one paw to familiar friends and unfamiliar.
Arric smiles at Melancholy, and then at Mimi, radiating welcome, before turning toward Lorewalker Cho. "Evening, Lorewalker," he says. "Always a pleasure."
Lena smiles faintly, and glances over at the approaching pandaren.
"Oh, the Lorewalker." Melancholy rises to give a proper curtsey at that. "It's an honor of House Grimlocke to meet you."
Lena glances back at Mi Shu briefly and says, "Oh, and she's one of the Cobalt Company pandaren, Mi Shu Jadepaw, wasn't it? I recall you from another storytime."
"That's right!" Mimi nods.
"Was she audience or subject of said storytime?" Arric asks Lena merrily.
Atley looks around before he inclines his head to Lorewalker Cho. "Lorewalker." He moves to take a seat, the bench creaking underneath him.
Lena laughs. "Audience. Though I'd imagine you have plenty of stories, too, Mi Shu?"
"She has certainly lived a few, from what I understand," says Arric.
"I suppose I do, but they're mostly about my Granny." Mi Shu laughs.
“Hello my friends, and friends I have not yet met,” Lorewalker Cho says with a smile. “I am preparing for a journey up the mountain, but there is always time for stories. I have another one you may like to hear.”
"Oh, well, later I must hear all about your Granny," says Arric, smiling warmly at his benchmate. Then he turns to Lorewalker Cho attentively.
Melancholy brushes her skirt clear, turning her attention fully to the Lorewalker.
“This one is a story about our hosts here, the grummles,” Lorewalker Cho says with a benevolent smile. “They are long inhabitants of Pandaria, and long friends of the pandaren. This story dates back to the time of the pandaren revolution.”
"Oh, this should be good," Arric says with obvious satisfaction.
Mimi settles into her seat on the bench and perks her ears to listen to Cho's story.
Atley spreads out and leans forward and rests an elbow on his knee as he eats some more jerky.
“Long ago and under hill, there lived a creature called a trogg,” Lorewalker Cho begins. “I do not know what this mythical creature was like, but it is written that it wandered inside the mountain caves and tunnels, exploring and sniffing, and it was content.”
"A trogg?" Arric echoes. "I did not know they had those here."
Atley furrows his bushy brows and looks between the others. "We know troggs, Lorewalker."
Melancholy gasps dramatically. "Oh my garters, they made it all the way out here?" she whispers to Lena.
Lena blinks at Loremaster Cho.
"Oh! I've seen some in the lands to the east!" Mimi blurts out before quickly covering her mouth.
Arric laughs, and gives Mimi a friendly, encouraging pat.
Lena looks over to Mimi and nods. "Troggs are… not mythical," Lena ventures. "They're unfortunately around in a lot of the Eastern Kingdoms."
"Yes, in great numbers," Arric says with a sigh.
"So much for hoping that they'd run into some sort of explosive fire earth core and be done with it. Isn't that a horrific thought that they've tunneled all around," Melancholy says, genuinely horrified.
"My goodness!" Loremaster Cho says. "I may need to update my story, then! This was a trogg of thousands of years ago, during the time of the Mogu Empire."
Atley grunts.
"They've been plaguing us for that long, have they?" Arric shakes his head. "Goodness."
"But you've not troggs now?" Lena asks.
Lorewalker Cho shakes his head. "Not now, not that I am aware of, but perhaps my story will show you why."
"Oh, do you think this was right after the split, around the time after dwarves and troggs? I read about this after Uldaman. I apologize, I don't mean to interrupt," Melancholy says.
"I feel certain the fine Lorewalker is well used to interruptions," Arric says with a chuckle.
Lena nods. "I think it might've been the Sundering, was it? That turned the Earthen into troggs and dwarves. I admit I'm not fully up on everything, but there was the write up from the Uldaman mission years ago…"
"Near then," Atley says with a brief nod.
Lorewalker Cho looks on with interest. He does not seem to care about the interruption.
"I interrupt my books when I'm reading as well, but they don't know it," Melancholy admits to Arric.
Arric laughs delightedly. "I never thought of it that way; I suppose I do the same…"
"That is fascinating," Lorewalker Cho says. "I will be so excited to learn all about these faraway lands of yours. I should probably tell you the next part of the story now, and maybe it is of special interest to you who know troggs."
"Yes, do go on!" Arric says amiably.
Atley grunts.
“One day, the trogg met a mogu,” Lorewalker Cho continues. “ ‘What strong arms you have,’ said the mogu to the trogg. ‘I shall use my magic to make them stronger, so they may crush my enemies.’
‘And what a mighty nose you have,’ said the mogu to the trogg. ‘I shall use my magic to make it powerful, so that it may sniff out my enemies.’
‘And what a good sense of direction you have,’ said the mogu to the trogg. ‘I shall use my magic to make you never forget a trail, so that you may learn the paths of my enemies.’ “
"The mogu made…" Lena falls silent, watching Cho.
Lorewalker Cho looks over the crowd. “The mogu used the very waters of the Vale of Eternal Blossoms to shape this creature into a weapon. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, what should the mogu see? But a grummle, standing there gleefully.”
Atley squints.
Melancholy taps a black laced gloved finger near her lips against a pale cheek. "Oh, a trickster legend. What a delight."
Lena glances over at Brother Lintpocket and then back. "I take it they didn't take to being weapons very well."
Mimi clasps her hands tightly in front of her to help stay still and listen to the story.
“Then, our mogu sent the grummle out for its work,” Lorewalker Cho continues. " ‘With strong arms, and powerful nose and mind that never forgets a trail,’ said the mogu, ‘take this food from the farms of the east to the wall of the west.’
‘Find every trail in between and tell me of the enemies you see,’ the mogu instructed specifically,” Lorewalker Cho says with an amused smile.
Arric keeps looking between Cho and the nearest grummle, looking somewhat perplexed.
“And so the grummle went, with arms of strong and nose of a tool and mind that never forgets, to look for ‘enemies’, this word the mogu used. And deliver food he did and looked for trails but not an enemy found,” Lorewalker Cho spreads his paws.
Atley tears off another strip of jerky.
Lena smiles faintly. "I suspect the mogu ought to have defined 'enemy',"
Atley briefly looks to Lena regarding her previous comment before he returns his attention to Lorewalker Cho.
“Then, he returned to the mogu from his travels,” Lorewalker Cho says. “ ‘What news of my enemies?’ said the mogu. ‘Do they hide in the mountain passes? Do they hide in the caves near the river? Do they hide in the fields of the farmland?’
Arric listens, intrigued.
Lena waits with quiet anticipation.
“The grummle blinked and thought. He thought and thought and finally spoke,” says Lorewalker Cho. “ ‘I smell with nose and look with eye but no enemies of yours did I spy.’ “
“And then, he went on to describe what he did see,” Lorewlker Cho says. “ ‘In the mountains I saw hozen, carving their little tunnels. In the caves near the river I saw the jinyu, speaking to their water. In the fields I saw the pandaren, dancing a funny dance.’ “
Mimi's tail wiggles in anticipation.
“The mogu pondered this, and grew relaxed,” Lorewalker Cho smiles. “Many times the grummle would leave, and each time the mogu would ask him the same question when he returned. And the grummle's answer was always the same.”
"What a darling little fellow," Arric says.
“What the mogu did not realize,” Lorewalker Cho says, raising one claw. “was that the hozen were building their tunnels that would lead them behind the mogu defenses.” He raises a second and third claw. “The jinyu listened to the waters to divine where the mogu would first respond when the rebellion started. And the pandaren were not dancing, but training to fight unarmed.”
"Malicious compliance at its finest," Melancholy says.
Lena laughs quietly.
Arric gasps!
"The mogu were tricked by them!" Mimi says excitedly.
Arric nods at Mimi, looking delighted.
“Exactly! When the rebellion began, the mogu was outraged by his surprise,” Lorewalker Cho says with a laugh. “ ‘You said you did not find any enemies of mine!’ said the mogu to the grummle.”
“With a grin and a smile, the grummle said to the mogu: ‘I saw what I wanted to see. You heard what you wanted to hear.’ “ Lorewalker Cho spreads his hands. “And that is our story of the origin of the grummles.”
Atley sits up faintly.
"Well, that certainly fits the grummles I have talked to," Arric says. "Very observant, but prone to see things in their own special way."
Mimi giggles at the story's conclusion.
Lena claps her fingertips together. "A charming story. And yes, we still see them on the trails."
Atley turns his head to the side, equal parts skeptical and curious. "They've strong backs… But have grummles got strong arms?"
"What an interesting double edged story as well. It's a good warning to both sides of it. I certainly take an extra meaning, I'm sure, as someone who has to be quite careful in my own instructions for those who would find loopholes," Melancholy says.
Lorewalker Cho nods. "They know how to smell out luck, they always find a trail, and they can carry a heavy load…"
"They certainly seem to be able to carry more than one would expect, for their size," Arric notes.
Atley grunts.
Lena nods slightly at Melancholy.
Lorewalker Cho looks at Melancholy. "Oh? You often give instruction?"
"I do," Melancholy confirms. "And of course, take them. I've been an apprentice for some years now. I worked in a library, to become a librarian, though I left that position. It's a good lesson though, to think about words so closely."
"Ms. Grimlocke," says Arric genially, "earlier you were saying something about, you've been reading about troggs? I know very little about them, but if they're ancestors of the grummles I'm rather curious, now. I have a hard time imagining this."
Lorewalker Cho nods thoughtfully, and his eyes sharpen with interest at 'librarian'.
Atley glances between Melancholy and Lena.
Lena just smiles, but doesn't elaborate on Melancholy's answer.
"It's 'Melancholy,' please. I don't really hold so much for little titles, and 'Lady Melancholy' is technically correct, but so odd out here really. And I read a book on it after taking a class at the Keep with Professor Harrison Jones. I could locate it for you, if you'd like," Melancholy offers.
"It was a change for the better, in my opinion," Lena offers. "It was troggs as ruined Gnomeregan after all."
Mimi frowns.
"I've learned much roaming about with Brannagen," Atley says.
"I wouldn't mind having a look at that book," Arric says. "And I'll try to remember that, Melancholy. Likewise, I've dropped the 'Lord' from 'Lord Arric' out here - it really doesn't seem relevant."
"Is that so? If your title is part of who you are then why not keep it?" Mimi asks curiously.
Lorewalker Cho smiles. "I am happy, of course, to use any honorifics you prefer in your home cultures. We do not have nobility here, among the pandaren."
"Arric, then. I may have left the library, but I do still have the skill of finding books for people, and I'm sure I can locate it," Melancholy says confidently.
Arric considers Mimi's question seriously. "In my opinion, if the title doesn't mean anything to those I'm speaking to, then it serves little purpose. But I suppose some may feel differently. I just prefer to fit in wherever I go, I suppose." He smiles in appreciation at Melancholy's offer.
Mimi scratches her chin and ponders Arric's answer.
"Are you familiar with the 'Lord' and 'Lady' titles from the Eastern Kingdoms?" Arric asks Mi Shu.
"A little bit. I've heard people talk about it. It's like a special title for your leaders and elders and things, right?" Mi Shu says.
Melancholy scrunches her prominent nose. "Oh, no, not really at all."
Atley faintly furrows his brow.
"Usually it designates certain families who are descended from royalty, or from certain champions, and so forth. Often landowners, but not always." Arric looks to Melancholy. "Our librarian might have a more precise idea of the meaning, actually!"
"Or, former librarian," Arric self-corrects.
"Oh!" Mimi's ears twitch, "That sounds like it's a very long and complicated tradition then."
"And it's not all of us here," Lena says with a smile for Mi Shu. "I've no sort of title myself. But yes the ins and outs of it are rather complicated."
"It is a bit complicated, since it's all about descent, and sometimes people argue over even that." Arric chuckles.
"They are often leaders. It's a human custom," Atley says.
"When I was younger, certain people outside my family who disliked me tried to spread the rumor that I was not in fact descended from my father, due to er, not resembling him in the slightest. But there were various witnesses to my birth, and it was… memorable to say the least. So the rumors never went anywhere."
"How interesting." Mimi says earnestly, "There's still so much about humans I have to learn yet it looks like." She laughs good-naturedly.
"Former librarian-in-training," Melancholy corrects, and there's a bit of an expression for a moment on her face, a distant look, before she flicks it away. "And I'm not really one to wax poetic on it. My own House has a bit of a scandal."
"Oh is that so?" says Arric. "Sorry to hear it. I was always the worst scandal in my own House; they're glad to be rid of me I'm sure." He laughs to take the edge off the statement.
"Not a birth scandal, but my mother wasn't nobility. Not a 'lady,' so we've always been also seen as a little less for it," Melancholy says, turning over her hands and inspecting her long nails. "It's all a bit tedious."
Lena sits quietly, listening to the noble stories.
"Oh well that's a shame," says Arric. "Why, the woman I plan to marry - I had no idea she was nobility when I met her. A librarian, in fact, I thought! And I found her most admirable."
Lena glances curiously at Arric at the mention of his plan to marry someone.
Atley grunts and raises his head, "Where are your people from, Melancholy?"
Arric seems interested as well, turning his attention to Melancholy.
"So, as Arric points out, it's not a bestowed thing of specialness. It's only from birth rights and old bloodlines thing." Melancholy gives Dane a red lipped smile. "Duskwood. West and south, near Westfall."
"Oh, my condolences on the current situation," Arric says.
Atley nods slowly and grunts.
"Oh, we get on quite well. Grimlockes were made for Duskwood really. We were sort of a strange lot for Brightwood and 'Sunshine Place,' but a Grimlocke of Duskwood fits right in now," Melancholy says.
"That's brilliant," says Arric. "So you enjoy it there?"
"But you! A libriarian and nobility in disguise, and a sister as a bit of a poet, I feel as though we already know each other," Melancholy says to Arric. "Like we've been living some sort of parallel life."
Arric beams at Melancholy. "Well how fortunate that our paths have crossed at last!" he says, seeming to readily accept that it's fate of some kind.
Arric turns to Mimi. "You said you've been exploring the Eastern Kingdoms - have you been to Duskwood yourself?"
Mimi shakes her head, "Not yet. I've been exploring the dwarf lands mostly. I haven't been outside of Elwynn Forest much in the human lands."
"It’s a bit… cursed," Lena says. "But also the founder of Cobalt's homeland."
"Oh, you should definitely explore Duskwood sometime. Shouldn't she, Melancholy? It has such a gloomy beauty about it, and I'm sure its dangers would be nothing to one of the Gui Wei."
Atley scoffs with amusement. "A Gui Wei there would be a fresh sight."
Melancholy inspects Dane with a frank evaluating eye at the reminder of Elohad. "Oh, absolutely. It's a darling place in its own way."
"Ah yes, Lord Ference was from there originally, wasn't he? I'd clean forgotten that!" His embarrassment isn't feigned; his pale skin gets pink blotches for a moment.
Atley maintains his gruff expression as they speak.
"I might have to see for myself sometime then." Mimi giggles, "If the founder of Cobalt Company is from there especially."
"The trees grow ever so thickly - even if it weren't cursed, the shadows would be deep beneath their branches I think. Very picturesque." Arric nods approvingly.
Atley gestures vaguely to Melancholy. "I remember the days of Brightwood. Dimly. T'was a fine place."
"Surely you aren't old enough to remember such a thing, Sir Atley!" Arric says diplomatically. Atley does not look twenty.
"That's kind of you to say. I still can't believe it's actually Sir Dane Atley the Red, what an unexpected treasure. It's like meeting High Commander Wyrmbane, and he eats jerky," Melancholy says back with a quirk of a smile.
Arric bursts into laughter at Melancholy's remark.
Atley sets his jaw and inclines his head before he shifts in place to produce his waterskin. "Wife's recipe."
"Well," says Arric, “Now I must know if the High Commander eats jerky. I imagine you've met him, Sir Atley. Does he?"
Atley slowly tongues the inside of his cheek. "I warrant he has. I've not seen him eat or drink much, but he must, to keep his pace."
"Oh, dear, do all heroic types know each other and sit around eating jerky together, discussing wive's recipes? That's never in the story books is it," Melancholy teases. "Careful, I'll think you only a mere six foot six and not nine feet tall at this rate."
"Oh, how tall are you, sir?" Arric asks Atley with a hint of playfulness dancing in his pale eyes.
Atley shakes his head at Melancholy. "No," he begins, before a subtle, wry look bleeds into his eyes. "High Commander Wyrmbane hasn't got a wife."
"Nine feet," Melancholy insists to Arric.
Lena smiles quietly, looking at the fire.
"Is that so!" Arric makes a show of lowering and adjusting his goggles to peer at Atley.
Atley shakes his head. "I am three inches over six," he explains calmly.
"Oh, well, you've got a few inches on me, sir," says Arric brightly.
Melancholy laughs at Dane, a dark tinkling delight.
Lena rolls her shoulders and moves her crutches over. "And more on me, for sure. I'm afraid I'll have to turn in soon."
"Are you in much pain?" Arric asks her solicitously.
Atley perks up and looks between Lena and Melancholy before he slowly stands.
"Oh, not too bad, less and less each day," Lena says. "It was just a silly fall, really, and I'm healing up."
"Glad to hear it," Arric says warmly.
Lena smiles at Arric, and starts to push to her feet.
Melancholy dusts her dress off. "Oh, and I should be turning in soon as well. It's getting late, but I couldn't resist a story," she says.
"Few could, from the Lorewalker," Atley says.
"I suppose I ought to go check on my - on Rica," Arric says. "She'll be done with her hunt by now. Mi Shu, you must tell me tales of your grandmother sometime soon, hm?"
Arric stands and bows to his benchmate.
"Of course!" Mimi hops to her feet and nods to Arric.
Lorewalker Cho waves cheerfully at everyone. "I may be traveling soon, but when I am here… tales from foreign libraries and tales of grandmothers are both very welcome!"
Melancholy rises up. She doesn't offer Lena any assistance, but she does stay with her.
"You have our thanks, Lorewalker," Atley says, gaze briefly flitting to Melancholy and Lena.
"Travel safely, Lorewalker," says Arric, and then casts his goggled gaze around toward the wilds.
"I would be happy to offer you one. I have five epic historical poems memorized if you would like to hear them. They are quite long, I will warn you. The shortest one I know goes for two hours. I have shorter stories though," Melancholy offers.
Lorewalker Cho beams. "I've enjoyed tellings that have gone on for days, young lady. You will find me quite the eager audience."
"Oh, my. Lorewalker, you flirt and charmer," Melancholy says with a laugh.
"And as for you Miss Jadepaw," Atley says, tugging his helmet on. "Don't be a stranger. Cobalt'll be about."
Mimi bows to Dane.
Atley returns the bow.
Melancholy offers another curtsey.
"Ladies," Atley says to Melancholy and Averlena before he turns and marches off.
"Time for me to get some more sleep too. Good night!" Mimi bows to the remaining people.