[Alliance] Chapter Five: Session Thirty-Two
Appearing Characters: Annibeth Lansing, Darion Mograine, Aileen Paletress, Gilveradin Windrunner, Kala, Kel'Thuzad, Lance Beckett, Liadrin Everpost, Maxwell Tyrosus, Remnii, Seria, Sigilith Avernicious, Uther Menethil, Vaelastrasz, Velameestra Windrunner, Victor Prestor, Zabra Hexx
October 4th
Seria was hugged tightly by Zabra Hexx. Seria had tensed up, and Zabra pulled away and looked at Seria intently. He asked who her parents were.
Seria said her mother was Kala. Zabra’s eyes lit up, but then the expression turned more somber as he realized the past-tense.
Seria said it had been almost two years, and Zabra gave her a sad smile.
Seria said that she had unfortunately passed, also about two years ago. Zabra’s expression showed his heart sank.
Darion scratched the back of his head and asked if the two of them were acquaintances. Zabra explained they weren’t, but Seria came from his birth tribe, and she was proof that the Darkspear had survived through adversity. Zabra asked Seria what he should call her.
Zabra smiled and put a hand on Seria’s shoulder.
Seria felt Kala’s presence emanating in her aura.
Kala’s form appeared briefly behind Zabra and put a hand on his shoulder before she vanished again. Zabra seemingly did not hear her, but she had said that it was good to see him again, “teacher”.
Zabra asked if they could speak more later so that he could hear more about Seria’s life and the tribe, and then he could tell her anything she wanted to know of how things were before the war. He wanted to hear everything after everyone else had retired for the evening. Seria nodded.
Now that Seria had a good look at Zabra Hexx, it was noticeable that he wore old robes, but his belt was full of a strange mixture of things: alchemy supplies, healing supplies, but also a holy book of the Holy Light. Around his neck was a handful of loa symbology, but also a symbol of the Holy Light.
At that moment, Uther rounded the corner with a turkey leg in hand and saw the people who had gathered. All of the Torchbearers were wearing a black and light tabard that resembled a sun or torchlight. Darion glanced over and saw him, but he didn’t seem to recognize him.
Darion squinted at Uther, his mind processing what was going on. But then it clicked.
Darion grinned.
They immediately hugged as Darion welcomed him back to the land of the living. Uther laughed loudly.
Darion grinned again and pulled Uther into a headlock.
Uther laughed.
Vel’s eyebrow raised.
Uther said that was more difficult because no Silver Hand meant no more Silver Hand barracks. Darion’s face soured.
Liadrin looked across the group.
Vel said that the group was largely in the dark, as their main intel had come from the last time Liadrin and Remnii spoke. Liadrin looked over at Maxwell, who asked Vel if she had whisky. Vel confirmed and had a mana wyrm bring some drink, but she suggested that they move conversations up to the study.
The Torchbearers followed Vel upstairs, and they happened upon Victor, who was disguised in his normal human appearance. Thal’ena, Teemo, Motah, and Vaelastrasz were also moseying around and were introduced.
Liadrin’s brow furrowed at Victor, and her hand slid to the scabbard of her blade.
Liadrin smiled.
Liadrin said that Liadrin was fine, and Victor joined the group as Maxwell started to explain.
He said the summer was bloody, and orcs had been pouring from the elflands. The battle lines were all over the Eastweald, but the greatest theaters were at Stratholme, the Thondoril River, and at Fort Crossing.
Unfortunately, two of the places had fallen, and the battle lines had been drawn at the Thondoril River called the Bulwark. It was the last bastion of the Alliance on the edge of the borderlands.
Stratholme was sieged for many months. The orcs had walled in the place, and though the mages could offer supplies, they couldn’t keep up with the demands. Everything looked bad, but they hoped to survive until the winter.
Maxwell paused, and then said he wasn’t present, but he had heard reports and was at the meeting afterwards. He said there were forces from Quel’thalas there. He looked at Vel. He asked if she was familiar with the rumors around the elves.
He said there was an incident, and in the process a sizable number of the Quel’thalas forces were identified as being undead. Vampyrs, specifically. From what he understood, the reaction was poor, and word had gotten out of control. Mobs formed in the streets and everyone started to fight amongst one another. It gave the orcs the chance to take Stratholme, and it was a blood bath. The Commander, Luc Valenforth, and Gavinrad the Dire, had fallen in the conflict. The city was routed, and was now under the control of the Horde.
Word of the incident spread through those who were able to escape, and there were other reports from within the elven people. From what Maxwell understood, the Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner was unable to vouch on either side of the conflict. She denounced knowledge of the incident, and did what she could to stand up for her people. She had said that the persecution in Stratholme was a baseless accusation, but regardless, her people were slaughtered, and the Alliance lost a foothold.
Sylvanas’s argument was heard, but did little to assuage the fears, which was what led the remaining leadership of the church to call for a meeting of the Silver Hand so they could discuss what was to be done. The discussions were heated.
Darion frowned and then scowled.
Maxwell continued that testimonies were brought forth from several individuals. There was a divisive vote made: the Highlord was the most vocal to reorganize the Silver Hand into an active military group that would take proactive steps against the forces that threatened Lordaeron and the entirety of the Alliance. He called it the Scarlet Crusade.
Maxwell explained that only by recruiting more people would they be able to root out the Horde and also the demonic and undead forces. The Crusade swore itself to discover the truth.
He explained that, not long after, he and some others remained in the basilica. It was supposed to be a sanctuary, and Maxwell was doing what he could to figure out next steps. But then the Crusade arrived and occupied the basilica. They accused Maxwell and his people of harboring heretics. In the chaos, a fire was started. Maxwell was uncertain what the cause was, but the basilica was burned, and it was reduced to ashes in the heart of the capital.
Aileen said that she could not say for certain, but she believed that the Crusade’s occupation was two-fold: both to discover Tyrosus, and also obtain an artifact from the catacombs. She looked at Remnii, and said Remnii likely knew what it was.
Remnii frowned.
Remnii frowned.
Darion crossed his arms.
Vel asked if anyone that questioned them would be considered a heretic, and Maxwell confirmed. He did say there were some in the Crusade that were able to see the righteousness of the cause, but not the truth behind their actions. However, proof was needed to appeal to them. Unfortunately, the Crusade was good at making themselves seem like the righteous cause.
She bared her teeth slightly, which did reveal the tips of her fangs. It seemed that most present had figured out what she was through the small context clues that had been given, but Darion had the most visibly obvious response of making note of it.
Darion cracked his knuckles and said he felt the best thing to do was kick down the door and find whatever they were, but Maxwell countered that wasn’t the best idea as the moment they took to a siege was the moment they would be painted as villains.
Vel asked who was in charge of the Crusade currently, and Maxwell pulled out a small chart he had been filling out. There seemed to be three branches that led to a main leader: the Grand Crusader, Saidan Dathrohan, one of the founding members of the Silver Hand.
Beneath him was a woman named Demetria, who was Saidan’s chief advisor. She was called the Scarlet Oracle. Aileen explained that Demetria was one of their senior-most bishops, and was one of the first to support Saidan. She had always claimed she had visions of the Light, and it was by her admission that Dathrohan was the only way the Church of the Holy Light would survive.
Beneath them was the Ashbringer, who was a mysterious figure that was a free agent that did not directly answer to any of the three main branches: military, templar, and the inquisition.
The military branch was composed primarily of the rank and file militias and soldiers that had volunteered to join the group. They were led by Taelin Fordring. While he was a paladin, he was in charge of the military branch. There were a number of generals and commanders beneath him. He was also near Andorhal, as the lord of Hearthglen he was a baron of the lands to the north.
The inquisition was led by the Grand Inquisitor, Sally Mograine. She led the clergy as the well as the hedge mages and Kirin Tor members that chose to add their magical expertise. There were a number of skilled arcanists.
The templar branch, which were the paladins, were led by Highlord Renault Mograine.
Uther raised an eyebrow at Darion, who was fuming.
He looked at Zabra and explained they encountered Zabra there. Renault wanted to execute him, but Darion opposed him and helped ensure Zabra’s escape. However, that made Darion unwelcome amongst the Crusade.
Darion explained that Renault and *Sally* were likely operating together. And Vel started to muse on the fact they needed more information, but Victor interrupted to ask Zabra why he had been in the monastery in the first place.
Zabra explained that after the troll wars their people were scattered, and he eventually found sanctuary in the monastery. He spent years there pouring over its secrets to understand the beliefs of the people that came before. He came to a great many revelations about the Loa, the Light, and many other forces that played upon the world. He meant no harm, and he would have simply left, but he understood the scars of the war were still keen.
He said there were few alive that knew the catacombs of the monastery as well as he did. Though he admitted there were many spirits in that hallowed place that he had become well-acquainted with.
Zabra smiled at Vel. He said he could not presume to understand the plight that her people were undergoing at the moment, but he did understand what it was like to be persecuted and to live in fear. However, he also understood what it was like to reach a new understanding. He said if anything he had learned could be of use to her or her people, he was happy to help as a friend of Darion’s. Vel thanked him for the offer, and Zabra said that long ago he was a teacher and some of his old habits died hard.
He had a twinkle in his eye, but a frown on his face. Vel observed that she and him were going to get along quite well, and Zabra agreed, as she struck him as a *good* student. Vel returned that she didn’t see the sense of wasting time in a classroom by not learning what was being taught. Zabra laughed at the comment.
Vel asked what those leads were, and Liadrin said there was an incident a few weeks ago. She explained they were escorting a caravan of elves to safety, when they were attacked by an undead creature. They hadn’t known who he was, but it was close to the borders. The creature was slain and brought to Andorhal, and they found a receipt of order from a delivery from Andorhal and a small number of coin. Apparently, a week before he had stayed in Andorhal. He was named Lance Beckett: a merchant and courier. He had delivered a shipment of grain on behalf of the Scarlet Crusade.
Liadrin said they had tried to determine more, but they hadn't had the chance. Vel asked where the body was, and Liadrin explained it was in the custody of Baroness Lansing. They had been undergoing investigations into it at her behalf. Landsing had granted them asylum in order to handle the threat before it could pose a threat to anyone else. However, at this point they potentially needed to find another lead, given the incident that had happened the prior night. Liadrin was hesitant to request more of Lansing after all the trouble they had caused for her.
Vel said that acquiring the body would likely be worthwhile, as if he somehow became undead in the region of Andorhal, that was concerning in and of itself. She asked if there had been any other word of specifically human undead, instead of elven, and Liadrin confirmed there had been word of ghost sightings and supposed boogeymen crawling through windows and dragging defenseless people from their beds. She said that the majority of the stories had been false reports or other problems, but this one had been very real. Regardless, the incidents only served to make the Crusade’s story stronger, and it was possible more of the stories were true.
There was a look exchanged between Tyrosus and Paletress, but Paletress gave him a nod.
Aileen Paletress smiled and said that she had a feeling that was the case.
Vel replied that no magic was truly evil, even if some who wield it may have been. Gil agreed that one thing that many of them had started to learn was that magic was just magic.
Maxwell said, beyond the body of Beckett, the best leads they had were investigating the places of importance to the Crusade. The monastery itself was dangerous, but the party had a small amount of wiggle room if they used other disguises if they could look into it. There was also the capital city itself, and there was more to be found in the Basilica. However, there were also more vocal supporters of the Crusade there, specifically the nobles willing to lend monetary support. Additionally, there was a possibility they could learn more by speaking with like-minded individuals. He admitted he hadn’t spoken to Taelin Fordring for a while, but he was a good man, and he was unsure what he knew of the Crusade’s dealings. If they were able to convince him that things must change, perhaps he was a potential ally.
Remnii asked if Benedictus was still in charge of the church, and Aileen admitted she didn’t know. When the basilica burned, she tried to escort him from the cathedral, but she had to fight him to do so. He refused to leave. She wouldn’t be surprised if he was still there, but she feared for him, as maintaining the basilica was his entire life, and to watch it crumble was likely hard for him. She also said the branch of the Holy Light in Stormwind formally broke ties with the greater church and became known as the Holy Order of Northshire. It was an unprecedented move.
Remnii mused that it was valuable to know.
Vel asked if there was any news of Turalyon, but Liadrin said that she had heard he had recently returned from the expedition to Outland, at least, according to Lor’themar. Liadrin said she believed he returned to deal with personal matters. Lor’themar had been loathe to share details, but Liadrin gathered that Vel had a better feeling about what that may have been.
However, they had no idea what Turalyon’s opinion on the Crusade was. Maxwell said that was a good thing for Darion and him to follow up on.
Maxwell also mentioned that there was the matter of Uther’s father, and explained that Arthas had been torn about the events. He hadn’t spoken out against the Crusade, but he also did not condemn them and they were unsure how he stood on the matter.
Uther said, to further complicate the matter, the person in Lordaeron may not have been his father in his entirety. Maxwell was understandably confused, and Uther clarified Arthas was also in the mansion, and they weren’t sure how. Maxwell said it was a mystery they had to leave to them.
Vel said that the best first step for them was likely the capital city and the basilica, which would give them the opportunity to look into the Arthas situation, provided Beckett’s body was not able to be retrieved. Liadrin said that if they needed a place to lay low, she could put them in contact with Mercy, as she was in the city helping the disenfranchised and orphaned children there.
However, Liadrin mentioned that she had a feeling that Lansing was likely going to burn Beckett’s body before too long. Vel asked what it would take for them to get it from her, and Liadrin said they could always just ask nicely.
However, Darion suggested they could steal it. Tyrosus shot Darion a look, and Darion retorted that desperate times called for desperate measures, especially if time was against them.
Paletress put a hand over her mouth with a small gasp, and Maxwell shook his head with a heavy sigh.
When Remnii asked Liadrin about Natalie’s body, Liadrin explained that the graveyard they had buried her in was an older graveyard near the old monastery, but it was also outside the main graveyard, as they didn’t feel right burying her in the monastery graveyard proper without a true priest. However, if it ever became necessary to retrieve her body, Liadrin was willing to assist.
Vel has a pensive look on her face as she considered the logistics of just removing Beckett’s body herself, and she asked the Torchbearers if it would cause an issue with them if the body were to just disappear. Liadrin smirked and said the baroness might blame them for it, but she could think of worse things. Ultimately, the incident had been kept under wraps, and it disappearing might just handle some issues for the baroness.
With the information for the most part dispersed, Vel informed the Torchbearers that they were free to make use of the food and other refreshments the mansion could offer. Tyrosus said he was already ahead of her, as he had been going back and forth from the bar in the common room during the entire conversation.
As things started to disperse, Liadrin and Remnii exchanged another hug as they took a moment to catch up. Liadrin admitted that she believed the first conversation they had after the Sacking of Silvermoon changed her life, and she had not actually recognized it until she saw Remnii again. She said that everything she had done, she had been asking what Remnii would do, because in another life she was unsure if she would have been on the same side given how angry and hopeless she had been.
She was unsure the Crusade’s ideals would have been a hard sell had those emotions stayed.
Remnii replied that Liadrin’s aid in escaping the Legion had opened many doors for her, and she was proud of what Liadrin had been done, even if she didn’t think Liadrin needed her to tell her that. She assured Liadrin she wasn’t alone, and that everything she had built was wonderful.
Liadrin said Salandria would have loved to see Remnii again, as she had been very jealous when Liadrin told her that she had spoken to her in the dream. She said that Salandria had grown and had cut her hair and wanted Liadrin to teach her how to use a sword. Liadrin asked how Remnii’s own family was, and Remnii said she had much to tell her, once she had the words to tell it. However, Remnii had learned she was adopted, and that was still sinking in, especially because her real parents were not good people in the heart of the Legion.
Liadrin had placed her hands on Remnii’s face, and Remnii smiled and put her own hands over Liadrin’s.
She placed a kiss on Remnii’s forehead, and Remnii thanked her and assured her it was very good to see her.
Seria took the opportunity to speak with Zabra Hexx more, and they shared many stories, but then Zabra asked what happened to Miriah’s daughter. Seria explained Zuhi was a chieftain now, because her brother didn’t want the title, and Zabra was flabbergasted that Miriah had another child.
Seria said his name was Rai, and Zuhi had taken the name Zulfli’jin. Zabra laughed, and said it was a bold and confrontational name, but it was a fitting one if she was half as fiery as she was a child.
Zabra said he wanted to know what his grandchildren were like, and as Seria explained, he wept and smiled and quietly cheered with every triumph.
Zabra took her hands and thanked her.
Surprise touched Seria’s face.
Zabra smiled.
Kala appeared next to Seria and listened as one of her old teacher’s retold tales, a smile on his face. Later, Seria accused Kala of never telling her those stories, and Kala said Seria had never asked. But she had both her father, and her mother, in her. Seria had Taldaram’s temperament, but her own sense of justice and fairness. After all, she always looked out for Rai, and would stick up for Zar’Kaa. Seria and Kala both had strong hearts, and that was one of the many reasons Kala loved her.
Gil approached Darion when Vel wasn’t in earshot and asked him if he knew anything about Arator. Unfortunately, Darion said the last time he had seen him was shortly before the meeting where the Scarlet Crusade was formed. He hadn’t been looking well, as a lot had happened, especially to him.
Gil smiled.
Gil confirmed, and he said he was still trying to figure out next moves. Darion said he was looking to knock his brother down, and that’s all he cared about. Gil grinned and said it was good to have a simple goal, and Darion said that worrying about everything at once would just drive him mad, so it was better to look at one thing at a time, and if anything else came into the path, then handle it then.
He took a chug from a mug.
Gil politely refused as he was unsure his night was over, but he chuckled.
October 5th
Early the following morning, it was quite chilly and very cloudy. Vel had slipped off quite early in the morning and took a raven form to take off towards Andorhal. As she entered the city and approached the town hall, she passed into a shadow and shifted into her cat form so that she could maneuver around the building up close.
She was able to avoid much attention, and upon assessing the building, she noted that the majority of curtains were open on the eastern side of the building. However, on the western side, she did find a window with the curtains still closed.
She situated herself on the windowsill and loafed down to ensure she had her footing, then used the [Message] cantrip to project her voice toward the vampyr she hoped was inside.
From inside, there was a confused voice asking where she was. Vel informed him that she was outside his window. He asked who she was, and she replied that she was a friend from last night. There was a moment of pause, but then the curtains were cautiously drawn back, revealing the white cat sitting politely on the window sill.
He furrowed his brow and cocked his head to his side as he scratched at his chin, but then he pointed at her and mouthed “was that you?” Vel confirmed, her mouth not moving, and Sigilith jumped backwards. She added that he could respond to the messages telepathically.
As he fully processed the situation, he mused that it was all pretty “rad”, but then asked what was going on and if he could talk to cats now. Vel paused for a moment, then replied that technically such an ability was not off the table given what he was, but in this instance, that wasn’t the case. She asked if she could come in, and Sigilith said he supposed she could. He asked if she wanted water or anything, but she said she was fine, and he added that was good because he didn’t have any cat food.
He opened the window, which allowed Vel to slink into the room. She explained that she was the masked elven woman from last night, and he blinked as he realized she wasn’t actually a cat. He asked who she was and what she and her companions’ deal was, given they stepped in to help him and Hedanis. He asked if they were trying to get something from them.
Vel said they weren’t and explained that she had heard of his presence from the friar he had been staying with. She had been concerned because of the danger of vampyrs roaming at the moment, so she and her companions had decided to find him.
Vel tilted her head, as if she was considering whether or not there was any alternative. But she confirmed she couldn’t think of any other reason. Sigilith started to laugh to himself, and asked if the situation was some sort of trick or dream, but Vel replied he was quite awake.
Sigilith admitted he was receptive to whatever help she could give if she had been doing the vampyr thing for longer than he was, and asked what he should call her. Vel said that, for the time being, she was simply going by Zelda, and asked if the baroness had mentioned how long he would be held at the town hall. Sigilith said he didn’t know for sure, but he imagined it was probably a week or so because Lansing needed to find who caused the trouble last night, and if he encountered the unknown strangers from last night he was supposed to tell her, but he said that he probably wasn’t going to do that. Vel mused that she had figured Sig would have been more quiet about such an encounter than Master Poisonbloom would have, and Sig admitted Hedanis was a lot… but he couldn’t just sit by and allow the thugs to hurt him. Especially because he didn’t even know what they or the Crusade had against them, as he was pretty sure Hedanis wasn’t a vampyr.
He went on a small rant about how it pissed him off when people threw their authority around, and even if the other people they had pulled into the street *were* vampyrs, they didn’t do anything and people were talking about tying them up on a windmill until the sun rose. It was all messed up, and the Scarlets had everyone scared even though he himself and no one else had done anything to upset the people of Andorhal. He said sitting down and letting it happen just wasn’t the righteous thing to do, and he was fuming about all of it.
Vel said those emotions were more than justified, and she told him that she and her companions were working on doing something about it.
Sigilith asked if she and her friends were all vampyrs, and Vel clarified that she was the only one among the current group. He asked if they just accepted her like that, and she said that they knew her before she was one. He said he was unsure if that would help him, and she replied she had simply made first impressions for him, so she didn’t think he had anything to worry about amongst her group, at the very least.
Vel asked if he had eaten recently, and Sigilith winced, his fangs partially extended. He admitted he hadn’t. He had grabbed a few rats here and there, but that was about it. A few weeks ago he had found an old fan who wanted to help. She had realized what he was, but he didn’t want to hurt her or get her in trouble, so he didn’t drink much from her.
Vel said she had brought something to help him. She hopped up onto his bed and looked beside her. The box she had stashed away with [Wristpocket] appeared next to her. She went to open it, but as her paw came in contact with the latch, she realized that she didn’t have opposable thumbs.
Sigilith smiled at her, trying really hard not to be endeared by what was going on.
He gave her a thumbs up before popping open the box. Vel explained the vials inside contained preserved blood from her own stores, and they would help stem off the hunger better than any beasts.
Sigilith was flabbergasted that she was just giving them to him. He said that was really awesome of her. Vel said it was what should be expected, but then she tilted her head as she considered the clear ignorance Sigilith had for what he was and how to survive. Almost as if no one had ever told him or guided him otherwise.
Sigilith looked away from her. He said it was a fan of his. He had run into her after they left the city, and he had been traveling around trying to just do some good and play some tunes to put some smiles on faces. She had cornered him and then bit him really hard. She said that they would be together forever.
And then he woke up in the dirt. He said it was all blurry from then on. In retrospect, he thought she had some sort of spell on him because she could control him and tell him what to do. But she had kept him as a private rockstar for a while.
Her tail lashed in irritation at the situation, and Sigilith confirmed that she didn’t do that. She explained that she was gone now, as the Scarlets tracked her down. After they did, he felt like he woke up a bit. He offered that maybe that was the thing Vel was talking about.
Vel confirmed that it would make sense that if the vampyr that sired him was dead, the control would no longer be present.
He grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled down a few things, muttering that he was going to come back to them later. Vel reminded him to drink if he hadn’t in a while, and he nodded and eagerly quaffed one of the vials. He said that he owed her one big time, and he wasn’t sure if he could do much for her because she could already turn into a cat, make boxes of blood appear, conjure snow, and make invisible walls in the middle of a square, but if she was trying to help people, he wanted to help too.
Vel said she was actually going to invite him and Hedanis to meet up with herself and her companions once the baroness freed him. He said he didn’t have anywhere else to go, and clarified he hadn’t even been traveling with Hedanis and had run into him in Andorhal. They knew each other from back before the Sacking. They had been in dramatically different genres of music, but everyone tended to know everyone else in the industry.
He said he would love to go with her if she didn’t think he would slow her down. Vel said she felt she could help give him some guidance on existing as he was now, and Sig acknowledged he had largely been roughing it alone.
He also added that Hedanis was just a pompous asshole, but he was confident that he likely wanted to put Andorhal behind him too, so he could see if he wanted to tag along. He asked how they should find her, and Vel said that they were going to remain in the area for a bit looking into things, so she would be able to find them.
Sig said he would try not to go stir crazy during his confinement, and Vel said she always found a good book to be helpful if he could get one. He replied that he did still have his guitar, and she may have given him inspiration for a new song.
Vel nodded in acknowledgement and said she would see him soon. Though she added he could hang on to the box she had brought, as there were more vials inside, and it would help him get through the time he spent in the baroness’s custody. He promised he would bring it back to her when they saw each other again.
Sigilith reached out, as if to give her a pat on the head, and Vel raised a paw and placed it on his hand to stop him. He laughed, realizing that had been a dumb move, and instead gave her a thumbs up.
Vel blinked at him.
She climbed back out of the window and headed off into the day. Sigilith closed the window behind her and scribbled down a few more things before he opted to go to bed for the day.
Vel crept around looking for where the body was being kept. She saw Lansing leaving the townhall and spoke to one of the guards about the body. They had determined it was likely wise to burn it, but she wanted the chirugeons to take one last pass before they did. She didn’t want to risk the health of her chirurgeons.
Vel tailed the guard to a grain storage warehouse that was particularly well-guarded. It seemed that they were going to burn the body at dusk, and Vel walked into a shadow and shifted to a rat form and slipped into one of the gaps of the building. She overheard some of the rats discussing they had seen a new white cat, and that they didn’t want to be on the end of those fangs, as they were worried the cat (which had been Vel) was a new rat-catcher. They were debating whether or not they should skip down.
However, as Vel got deeper into the warehouse, she found where a table had been set up, and a corpse was laid upon it. The man’s clothing was tattered and ripped as if someone had recently stopped caring about it. There were claw and sword marks littering the body. There was a shock of bright orange hair that was matted down on his head, and his jaw was shrunken and distended. His eyes were gone.
Vel crept forward, and she saw no humans in the immediate area as she looked around. She shifted back to her elven form and was able to make note of the man’s belongings nearby. She scooped up the satchel, and then left a nicely folded note on the table, before she reached out with a hand and cast [Teleport] to whisk herself and the body back to the mansion.
Later in the afternoon, the doors went swinging wide as Lansing and a handful of guards stormed into the warehouse. The chirurgeons had informed her that the body was gone, and Lansing ordered her guards to search the perimeter, as she wanted to ensure the undead creature wasn’t crawling around somewhere.
There was a town priest in their number repeating prayers to the light as he grasped some holy water to his chest.
Lansing noticed the neatly folded note on the table, and she picked it up to read it.
You have my sincerest apologies. I understand you wished to speak, and while I can personally appreciate the type of woman you seem to be, it will, I feel, be more advantageous for you to have full plausible deniability in these... eventful times. Particularly after the chaos of last night.
Z
As the governess finished reading, she pushed up her glasses and folded up the note, then informed her men to call off the search. Her guards were confused, but she said that she didn’t believe they would find anything.
She reiterated that she didn’t think anyone needed to know about the event yet, and she told her men to strike it from the record, as no one needed to know about Lance Beckett. They had plenty of other things to take care of.
However, as she left the warehouse, she looked over her shoulder before she closed the door.
She squinted into the shadows, but left.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Vel had materialized in the common room of her mansion with the body of Lance Beckett in tow. She informed those that were there that she was going to get herself set up in the workshop, and that she had spoken to Sigilith Avernicious, and upon his release, she expected him and Hedanis Poisonbloom to be convening with them in the next week or so.
She used [Telekinesis] to lift Lance into the workshop, and Vaelastrasz followed after her. He said that his expertise in such matters was likely not as thorough as her own, but he was trained in mundane methods of healing arts in addition to his own abilities. He also mentioned that the red dragonflight had experience with the walking dead, though it paled in comparison to her expertise, but he was willing to help.
Vel accepted it gratefully, and she and Vaelastrasz set about examining the corpse.
From what Vel could tell from the baseline inspection, was that Lance was a ghoul of some variety that hungered for the flesh of the living. There were also two causes of death: the first one was swords and radiant damage, which was likely as an undead creature. The second one, she would need to perform an autopsy to know for sure, but there were burn marks all through his mouth and his throat which would indicate a great deal of vomiting. It seemed to have been a disease that killed him initially.
Some concerns immediately came to the forefront of Vel’s mind, given what Morchuron had shown them of the alternate timeline in Stratholme. She called for Uther, and anyone else that wanted to be present, and she eased the man’s mouth open with a tip of her finger, showing the burns.
She explained what they meant, and the unfortunate implications they may have had. Uther confirmed that he had had similar worries when they were first speaking to the Torchbearers.
Vel said it may be wise to see what Lance had to say about the situation if he was receptive. She used [Speak with Dead] first, and the eyes of the corpse lit up with necromantic magic as the spell animated it.
At the same time, Kel’Thuzad loomed to the forefront of her mind.
The body did not respond, for it seemed not to know.
The body went limp again. Vel then started to cast [Commune with Dead] over the body.
At that moment, the disembodied spirit of Lance Beckett rose up from the body. The eyes of the spirit went wide, and he exclaimed that he had just had the strangest dream.
He looked down and then saw his own body.
Vel asked when Lance first started to get sick, and he said that it was a little after he had finished up his shipment. At first, he thought he had just drank too much booze at the tavern, but it turned out that wasn’t the case.
Lance’s eyes went blank in a thousand-yard stare. Vel shot a look over at Gil, who shrugged at her, and Lance asked if they had another question.
Vel asked how much direct contact he had with the grain, and he said it was just grain and it wasn’t like he was rolling around with it or anything. He said it got all itchy if you did. He asked why, because it wasn’t like there was anything wrong with the grain.
Vel asked if the people with Capless Feather Grains gave him any specific instructions with his cargo, and he said they said to make the delivery, get the receipt signed, and bring back the payment after he took a week off. They had told him to take a little break.
Vel asked about the person in charge of Capless Feather Grains, and Lance said it was an industry. He said the man in charge of the company was a man named Heigan Capless. He then went on to say that Heigan was his former boss’s boss’s boss’s boss.
The name Heigan, however, was familiar to Vel, as Kel’Thuzad had mentioned it to her before, and Kel’Thuzad’s voice loomed in her head again.
Vel asked if there was a direction he would suggest to approach for the final question of the spell, and Kel’Thuzad suggested asking how to actually get into Venetia, as it was a city that was very hard to find.
Lance said his employee badge lets him find the city again. Eventually. He asked again if he was really dead. Vel hesitated, and explained right now he was at a sort of midway point. He asked if he could come back, and Vel hesitantly asked if he *wanted* to come back.
Lance said he had so much he still wanted to do. He was just running as a courier so he could save up money because he always wanted to be a singer, but he never got the chance to sing.
The spell faded, and his spirit vanished.
Gil could see Lance’s indistinct spirit on the ethereal plane. He was just hovering above his body, staring at it.
Vel acknowledged it would not be wise to try and bring Lance back at this juncture, as resurrection magic would just result in his return to undeath and it was unlikely he would have had his mind.
Vel used a powerful [Gentle Repose] on the body to ensure he couldn’t raise again on his own.
Vaelastrasz asked if Vel believed there was something wrong with the grain, and Vel confirmed she did, as the name Heigan Capless was one she was tertiarily familiar with as he had connections to some people she knew in Dalaran. She explained he was an expert in disease, and if Lance died from a disease, that had troubling implications with Heigan running an entire grain industry.
Vaelastrasz mentioned the shortage of grains in the Eastweald, and Vel continued to muse about Capless Feather Grains being able to offer a grain supply, but then she stopped, recalling the Torchbearers had mentioned the Scarlet Crusade was getting supplies from somebody.
The diseased grain seemed to actually be a very large-scale problem.
Vaelastrasz said he had never heard of a city called Venetia, and Vel explained it was said to be located on the northern shores of Lordaeron. It was a mage city completely divorced from Dalaran, and it was something of a magical playground, so it made sense that its existence had been carefully obfuscated. She admitted she had heard about it, though she had never been there.
Gil said unfettered experimentation wasn’t good, and Vel agreed it obviously wasn’t, as any sort of experimentation not guided by ethical practice could rapidly lead to unfortunate situations. But if Lance Beckett’s badge could get them in, it would be worth following up on once they understood the breadth of the situation and could maybe stop the spread of the diseased grain.
Vel suggested that they bury Lance Beckett somewhere for the time being, and Vaelastrasz acknowledged that was a good plan, but the “for the time being” concerned him. She clarified it might be worthwhile to utilize death-speaking spells on him again in the future, and at least they would know where he was.
They decided to bury him in the graveyard under friar Uther’s watch.
The group made their way into Andorhal again, once more disguised, though they looked like a group of mundane humans this time around. From Lance Beckett’s shipment notes, they were able to determine which warehouses the grains were being stored in.
The area was relatively well-controlled, but Vel was able to make note of the patrol patterns so they could enter without too much trouble. Meanwhile, Remnii came dashing out of an alley at appropriate junctures and was able to plead for guards to help her because she believed she saw ne'er-do-wells nearby. They were putty in her hands, which gave them further openings.
Gil managed to convince several guards that the silos were haunted, which added to the confusion.
Uther had dressed up like a worker and had gone in and started to just trip over crates. Many of the guards ran forward to check up on him and make sure he was okay. The guard said he used to trip over his feet all the time, but then his little sister taught him how to dance, and he stepped on her feet so many times, but she was very patient with him. Uther teared up at the beautiful story, and he said that he was just going to stay away from the crates, and the guard said they could find the foreman so that he could find something else to do. They chatted about their sisters as they walked. Uther introduced himself as Lawrence, though his sisters called him Lory, and the man said his name was Lawrence too!
They were able to get into the right silos to take a look around. Only 20% of the Capless Feather Grains still remained, and they were the ones that were marked for distribution. Some of them were already distributed. The manifest, however, was likely with the foreman.
Vel approaches some of the grain and used [Dispel Magic] to lift any wards or obfuscation magics. She managed to connect onto a magic that was deep and pervasive. However, it seemed that not all the grain from the shipments was masked. It was mixed.
She got the sense that, had she failed dispelling the magic, there would have been some sort of backlash. As Vel lifted the curse, Vaelastrasz’s eyes narrowed into slits and he recoiled.
Vel then used [Identify]. The grain was absolutely cursed. It was supernatural in a way that only a curse could explain, and it was comparable to some curse-like diseases that undead could inflict. It was very deep, and she felt something very perverse, but the scent that reached her nostrils was sweet, almost as if it was making her hungry. It was absolutely steeped in necromancy.
Even Kel’Thuzad couldn’t reason out what Heigan’s plan was going to be. The best he could wager was that it was some sort of experiment.
Gil used [Sending] to the baroness explaining what they had found. Lansing immediately demanded answers and told them to stay where they were and inform her where it was. Gil sent her again and told her the silo number and that the ghoul had been created from exposure to the grain, and that it had been sourced from Venetia.
Vel left the plagued grain where it was clearly visible, and they left the silo. Remnii had dripped over a pitchfork, but Gil managed to cover her just as the governess slammed open the door, and they were able to escape discovery. Vel had left an [Encode Thoughts] at the site that contained everything she had found about the grain.
Meanwhile, Vel had shifted into a rat and rode along with Uther in his pocket when Uther went to speak with the foreman. Vel managed to slip in behind the desk and scan over the shipment manifest and commit it to her eidetic memory: Brill, Capital City, several Scarlet Crusade locations, the Bulwark, and Hearthglen. The shipments were already going to all of them.
They were then able to meet up with the Torchbearers, and they were able to arrange the means to intercept the shipments.
That evening, there was a large fire, as the grain was burned. But it wasn’t all of it, because some of it had already been distributed.
