Ayemae Trial of resolve

[Ayemae]

The faint flicker of the candle is all that illuminates the small study as an elven figure, barely discernible from the shadows around her, opens a finely crafted journal. Pausing for a moment, she considers the report she had received only hours ago. Her day had been filled with the usual mundane tasks of a noble office, and her spies often reported back to her with information that may useful in the future.

“The Mandate requires that one gain knowledge of and report findings on three current and one prior follower of the mandate.” She said to herself in a barely discernible voice as she looked over a shelf of journals. Her finger trailed along the titles, many of which were in lost languages:

Travels of Kalimdor
Travels of Eastern Kingdoms
Outlands, Nothrend
Pandaria
Persons of Interest
Secrets of the Shadow Arts
Malanath

She removed Persons of Interest from the shelf and gingerly laid it upon the desk.

The book was obviously well used. The pages had begun to yellow and there were notes attached to pages that threatened to fall out. The binding had tried to pull away many times and been repaired poorly. Probably the attempts of the priestess and not by a professional hand.

Her sources have recently finished trickling in their reports and the time had come to compile her findings to complete her trial.

Flipping through the pages she selected three names of members of the grim and read them aloud to herself.


Araun


As a young boy, Araun ran away from home and boarded a ship that was doomed to capsize in a great storm. He was quite literally fished from the water by a fisherman and eventually found his way into the cult known as the Twilight Hammer, a sect known as the Maw of Maelstrom.

He spent many years among them, first cloistered in study, then as an initiate, and eventually he was assigned on his first field mission: Infiltrate The Grim. He spent much time with Grim members, getting to know them and aiding them; all while truly serving other masters. It wasn't until after the death of the Lich King that he was recalled from his post and he soon realized that he had grown accustomed to their presence. Friends even. Having no real such loyalties to the Hammer, he became turncoat.

He still seems highly insulted at their poor attempts at killing him. Almost as if the fact that they only sent archers to kill him reflected on their opinion of his abilities. He faked his death easily and says he has no more affiliation with them.

He still wears a Twilight cultist ring of lordship upon his gloved hand, yet he states that this is merely to remind him of how he has changed and why.

I have no current opinion on the matter.

Lastly, he has no real hate for the alliance, save for the fact that they are the last remaining entities of the designs of the Titans, a topic he warned not to delve into until there was more time.


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Addikus

He grew up in a fishing town on the western edge of the Eastern Kingdoms.

The son of a whore, he must have had an interesting childhood. When Addikus was older, he found his mother beaten by a client man and murdered him in a blind rage, strangling him with a fishing line. When the corpse was found, Addikus's mother took the blame and was hanged for the crime.

Addikus fled to Stratholme and began living on the streets. Earning his way as a pickpocket, his life as a freeman in Stratholme was interrupted when he decided to pick the wrong pocket. A pocket that belonged to Mathias Shaw. He was thrown into prison, but soon released into the very care of the man who had landed him there in the first place.

Mathias placed Addikus on a ship of Pirates as a spy, as Addikus's history in the fishing village gave him a distinct advantage in that environment.

Addikus spent quite a few years with the crew, developing friendships and alliances. One in particular was his best friend, Poe. But as pirates go, that too didn't last. Poe turned on him and tied Addikus to the ship's mast, smashing his face with a hammer and leaving him a bloody mess. Before Poe could finish the job, however, Alliance set upon the ship and arrested everyone who wasn't killed in the sacking of the vessel.

Addikus was thrown into the dungeons for pirating and Mathias Shaw left him to rot; not wanting to show his hand and risk revealing the extent of his spy networks.

He spent quite a few days in the dungeons awaiting his execution with only bread and water failing to wash the bitter taste of betrayal from his mouth.

:: Ayemae paused for a moment at this thought. “Bread... It was in the bread...” she whispered to herself absently.::

As they walked him to the gallows, Arthas attacked. He said everyone was infected and the city needed to be purged. They slaughtered everyone in the streets and in the confusion Addikus escaped....

…..only to die a few miles away.

:: “Such is life...” she thought briefly before continuing her train of thought. ::

His next memories are of Lady Sylvannis waking him.

Today Addikus walks with the might of The Grim. And it is the might of The Grim that Addikus plans to use to kill Mathias Shaw.


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Gex

Gex grew up on the plains of Thunder Bluff, as he put it, “many” years ago. This could hardly have been a mere fifty or so years, but quite a surmountable period for a Tauren.

::Ayemae stifles a laugh at the thought before regaining her composure and continuing on::

Raised in the Druidic arts by the Thunder Bluff Elders, he has become quite an adapt healer and guardian. Shifting was as natural to him as drawing breath is for you or I. Had he not been so adapt at it, he would probably have become a warrior or shaman.

I attempted to encourage my informants to pry into the history of what befell his family, as all he had mentioned thus far was that he was raised by Thunder Bluff elders. To this all of my efforts were met with silence and a level stare.

It seems, though, that the alliance were not behind their disappearance, as his first encounter with them was at the Crossroads. A Dwarven Hunter attacked him while he was gathering herbs. He fought hard for his life as the pet pinned him to the ground and the hunter took advantage of his positioning with shot after shot. An orc scream was his salvation, ending the shots, pet, and cowardly hunter in an instant, but his wounds were severe and he lost consciousness; the orc his last memory before the world faded black.

He would awake a week later in Orgrimmar, nursed back to health by the orc. Hektar Dragonsbane, as he was called, was an orc shaman.

This shaman became Gex's best friend, and they grew and trained together for many moons. Hektar is also the one who approached Gex about joining the ranks of the Grim, promising skill and friendships as a reward.

This promise was fulfilled and then some. He gained all of that and then upon learning of the Grim's mandate, he took to the battlefield's to exact his revenge for his near death as a young buck. He slaughtered with glee and without abandoned. Hektar, Deathshadow, and Maldictus lead him to many battles, including the Dwarven city of Iron Forge, and Gex painted the ground crimson! The Mandate, as he understood it was: with the destruction of alliance, peace will come.

After walking the mandate for many moons, Gex went to hybernation for 16 moons. Upon his return, many of his friends were no where to be found and the faces of the Grim had changed considerably. Hektar, Deathshadow, and even the tea loving, ale hating Maldictus had gone. But there is one constant in his life: The Mandate.

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Hektar Dragonsbane

Hektar was an Orc Shaman who hailed from Orgrimmar, though was born in the Outlands. He had a notable disdain for dragons, thus his name, though Gex could no longer remember why he took the name in particular. At a young age he saved, the also young, Gex's life from a bloodthirsty hunter. He was known for his battle prowess and brutal precision.

Hektar was one of the first to wear the colors of The Grim, joining their ranks not long after its conception.

He was the one to convince Gex to join, and also had many family members who also took up the mandate, including his brother and nephew. Gex isn't sure where Hektar went, as he disappeared during one of his druidic hyphenations. It is a shame I couldn't meet this valuable asset.



When she finished reading, Ayemae then laid a piece of parchment over each journal entry. She turned to a nearby shelf and retrieved a small vial, sneezing as the dust that was stirred up drifted toward her nostrils. Gingerly removing the cork, she sprinkled a small amount over each page, copying her notes to a piece of free parchment. She then picked up her quill and quickly struck a line though a few entries in Addikus's report that weren't for public eyes.

Satisfied with her copies, Ayemae folded the pages together and tied them with twine before sealing the knot with wax and signet.

Dipping her quill into a vial of ink she sighs heavily and begins to write:

To the Desk of the High Inquisitors of the Grim Only.

With a final motion she cursed the package: Any eyes who view this package and are not my intended, shall be stricken blind. May their sockets fill with the shadows and screams of the damned fill their ears.

Ayemae then walked from her small study to her nearest messenger and handed him the parcel.

[Aureilya]

After reading over the pages contained in the package, Aureliya wrote a note in response.

Ayemae,

I regret that so much time has passed without you receiving word that your trial of resolve is complete. I have read over your notes, and am satisfied with the effort put forth. You have one final trial before you- that of Sacrifice. I am certain that you will not disappoint.

-Aureliya Raindawn