((I had this over on TNG and completely forgot to put it here.))
The woman moved purposefully through Shattrath, cloak billowing out behind her. A snarling felhound led the way, clearing a path between various inhabitants. A draenei captain cursed at her as she passed and she brushed her left hand over his arm seeming by mistake. He yelped as she moved away, leaving behind four fingertip shaped burns on his skin.
At the base of the Aldor's terrace stood a gnome female. She bounced back and forth from foot to foot impatiently, causing her green pigtails to bob and the large package hanging from a rope in her right hand to wriggle. A white rat sat perched on her shoulder and both gnome and rat watched the crowds with anticipation. Then she stilled and unsheathed her dagger as a large felhound came bounding out of a pack of marching draenei followed closely by a small forsaken woman. The pair came to a stop in front of the gnome.
"Did you find anything?" The forsaken asked calmly and the gnome looked up at her.
"We found some information." The gnome said calmly as she straightened her black and silver tabard and sheathed her dagger. "We at the Argent Dawn hold most of the intact records from the lands now belonging to the Scourge after all. I collected it and have all I could find here, including some records from Stormwind. Of course there were issues, the library and census office in Stormwind refused to cooperate with us after the person we sent let it slip we were gathering information for a forsaken."
The gnome handed over the box.
"We will of course continue to search for any information relating to the name you gave us. We are always happy to help offer Forsaken closure on their former lives." The gnome smiled.
The box was heavy and Thalevia hoped it would hold useful information. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a heavy purse of clinking coins and handed it to the gnome.
"Your payment. You will forward anything else you find to the Undercity please. I check my box there regularly and would prefer not to trust this to the goblins, they tend to lose things."
"Of course." The gnome offered a sharp salute. "Happy hunting warlock." Then she pulled a small runestone from her pocket and vanished in a cloud of green magic.
Closure by Thalevia
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Re: Closure by Thalevia
Thalevia sat in front of the small desk in her Undercity rooms, papersand fair copy records scattered all over the surface. The box she gotfrom the gnome sat on her loom stool, the wooden lid lay on the floornext to it. She ran her finger over the list in front of her, the namecircled in charcoal pencil. An immigration list, the bastard had goneto Stormwind. While the location made sense, his presence on animmigration list of refugees from Lordaeron right after the plague didnot.
She went over the list again, trying to decide what to do with theinformation. If the Argent Dawn sources were reliable, and they were99% of the time, it meant he was still alive. They hadn't found a deathcertificat after all. Nor any notice of his death even if a certificathad not been issued. And it wasn't like she could just stroll intoStormwind and ask the nearest guard to point her to the mage towers.
However...
She set the list down in front of her and tapped her claw absentmindlyon the table. She knew a goblin who owed her a favour. And the goblinshad free run of most places in Azeroth, or at least could bribe theirway in. She stood and gathered the list, a small traveling pack and aheavy cloak and left. If she was quick, should could catch the lastzepplin of the night to Grom'gol. And from there it was an easy tripsouth to Booty Bay.
She went over the list again, trying to decide what to do with theinformation. If the Argent Dawn sources were reliable, and they were99% of the time, it meant he was still alive. They hadn't found a deathcertificat after all. Nor any notice of his death even if a certificathad not been issued. And it wasn't like she could just stroll intoStormwind and ask the nearest guard to point her to the mage towers.
However...
She set the list down in front of her and tapped her claw absentmindlyon the table. She knew a goblin who owed her a favour. And the goblinshad free run of most places in Azeroth, or at least could bribe theirway in. She stood and gathered the list, a small traveling pack and aheavy cloak and left. If she was quick, should could catch the lastzepplin of the night to Grom'gol. And from there it was an easy tripsouth to Booty Bay.
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Re: Closure by Thalevia
"You owe me goblin!" She hissed at the goblin across the table from her and he squirmed.
"Yeah yeah, but time is money warlock." He watched her with narroweyes, "And no money in the world is worth what you want of me."
"Typical." She sat back, fingers curled loosely around a glass halffilled with a rich dark liquid, "I guess we can take up yourunwillingness to settle this debt with the Cartel enforcers. I haveheard they do not tolerate ones like you here. No one will trade withyou if it becomes known you refuse to pay back your debts." She ran thetip of a finger along the rim of her glass and watched the goblin witha calm expression, "You're bound to end up with a dagger in your backor a swift delivery into the hands of the Bloodsails. I hear a goblinof your reputation is worth a sizable amount."
His face paled slightly "You're bluffing warlock."
A strange smile spread across her lips and she reached over, lightlybrushing her fingertips against the goblins arm. He cursed and pulledthe arm away, staring in horror at the small oval shaped burnsbeginning to form on his skin.
"I don't bluff."
The goblin visibly slumped down in defeat. "I'll do it."
"Yeah yeah, but time is money warlock." He watched her with narroweyes, "And no money in the world is worth what you want of me."
"Typical." She sat back, fingers curled loosely around a glass halffilled with a rich dark liquid, "I guess we can take up yourunwillingness to settle this debt with the Cartel enforcers. I haveheard they do not tolerate ones like you here. No one will trade withyou if it becomes known you refuse to pay back your debts." She ran thetip of a finger along the rim of her glass and watched the goblin witha calm expression, "You're bound to end up with a dagger in your backor a swift delivery into the hands of the Bloodsails. I hear a goblinof your reputation is worth a sizable amount."
His face paled slightly "You're bluffing warlock."
A strange smile spread across her lips and she reached over, lightlybrushing her fingertips against the goblins arm. He cursed and pulledthe arm away, staring in horror at the small oval shaped burnsbeginning to form on his skin.
"I don't bluff."
The goblin visibly slumped down in defeat. "I'll do it."
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Re: Closure by Thalevia
Thalevia sat astride her dreadsteed along the Elwynn Forest border. Thepatrols had been simple to avoid despite the grumbling of the goblinperches behind her. Thick woolen robes covered by a dark heavily hoodedcloak masked her race and anyone who looked her way would simply see apetite warlock making her way to the city. The goblin would be assumedto be a companion of sorts, warlocks tended to consort with strangeindividuals.
She kept her dreadsteed at a walk and avoided the roads. The trees werethick despite the heavy logging operations and the various farmsscattered throughout. Strangely enough, Elwynn reminded her ofLordaeron before the plague. Thickly green and vibrant as her home hadonce been though Elwynn lacked the mist of magic that had always seemedpresent in Lordaeron due to the nearby Dalaran city and the northerncountry of the elves.
She skirted around Goldshire, doing her best to avoid notice andarrived within sight of the city gates. With a hand, gloved in leatherto avoid drawing attention to its shape, she handed a thickly paddedletter to the goblin behind her. The wax seal was simple enough, butthe recipient would recognize the marking unless he had gone senileover the years. The goblin slid off the dreadsteeds rump and landed onhis butt in the dust.
Thalevia looked down at him from under the cover of her hood. "Be surethat note gets to the one named across the front. No one else must readit. When and if you return, I will escort you back to Booty Bay and payyou. Got it. If you aren't back by moonrise, I wish you the joy of yournew home." She gestured to the city walls.
She kept her dreadsteed at a walk and avoided the roads. The trees werethick despite the heavy logging operations and the various farmsscattered throughout. Strangely enough, Elwynn reminded her ofLordaeron before the plague. Thickly green and vibrant as her home hadonce been though Elwynn lacked the mist of magic that had always seemedpresent in Lordaeron due to the nearby Dalaran city and the northerncountry of the elves.
She skirted around Goldshire, doing her best to avoid notice andarrived within sight of the city gates. With a hand, gloved in leatherto avoid drawing attention to its shape, she handed a thickly paddedletter to the goblin behind her. The wax seal was simple enough, butthe recipient would recognize the marking unless he had gone senileover the years. The goblin slid off the dreadsteeds rump and landed onhis butt in the dust.
Thalevia looked down at him from under the cover of her hood. "Be surethat note gets to the one named across the front. No one else must readit. When and if you return, I will escort you back to Booty Bay and payyou. Got it. If you aren't back by moonrise, I wish you the joy of yournew home." She gestured to the city walls.
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Re: Closure by Thalevia
"She's much to young for this."
"Nonsense. Dalaran tests children at the age of 4. Just because theycan't be bothered to venture into the homes of those who don't linetheir purses with coin does not mean she shouldn't be tested. Besides,it's harmless. And if she does have ability, better she learn tocontrol it now before she destroys something in intense emotion." Heturned his attention back to his daughter in his lap. "Now Levee, let'ssee what you can do." He held his hand in front of her palm flat toshow he held nothing. "Watch." He whispered words, moved his handsthrough the motions of the incantation and watched her reaction ofdelight as a tiny flame flickered to life in his palm.
"Can I try! Show me!" She wiggled with excitement, small hands already trying to mimic his movements.
"You must be still first." She went still in the way only a child can,barely contained, her hands clasped tight in her lap. "Good. Now raiseyour hands up like mine and try and follow the pattern." Large handsmoved through the motions, smooth and practiced. Her own hands followedthe motions, enthusiastically and choppy.
"Good. Now repeat after me as you move your hands." His voice quietlywhispered the words in here ear and she repeated them as she tried herbest to follow the movements he had taught her. Light and heat flashedbriefly above her palms as she finished the motions. It faded almostinstantly.
"Look daddy! I did it! I did it!" She moved her hands through themotions again, stumbling over the awkward phrasing of the spell andsmiled when she got the same result, a brief flash of heat and life.
"Yes you did." His voice patient as always. "Let us try one more time. This time don't rush the words."
"Why isn't mine pretty like yours?" She turned to look at his face as she asked.
"Was your very first try at weaving as pretty like your mothers are? It is the same. Pretty will come with practice Levee."
He had worked with Thalevia every night for several weeks on that sillylittle incantation. But even now, with all her training and knowledge,fire came best to hand with those motions, those nonsense words. Anymaster mage will tell you that you must have the motions, the circles,the ritual, the words for a spell to work. Thalevia had always foundintent worked just as well. Flashy circles and long drawn outincantations just allowed the mind to focus. And all the theatrics inthe world did not replace innate ability.
Thalevia sat on the edge of Scryer rise, her legs dangling over theside. She moved her hands through the motions, said the words andwatched as a ball of flame came to life in her palm, radiating lightand heat. She extinguished the flame and looked down at the letter inher lap. Her goblin had been unable to get past the second set ofguards at the city entrance and had been forced to turn around. Sheturned the thick vellum packet over in her hands and looked at the namewritten in her careful feminine script across the front. Surroundingthe back where she had pressed her seal into grey wax were the nonsensewords of the incantation he had taught her so long ago.
'Maybe it wasn't possible.' She thought to herself as she turned thepacket over and over in her hands. 'The past is the past after all.Except there has to be a way to get in contact with him. I need to knowwhy.'
Her hearthstone buzzed with activity and the voices of The Grim. Nowwas not the time to worry over it. She had preparations to make forherself before joining the others in another night in the Guardian'sTower.
"Nonsense. Dalaran tests children at the age of 4. Just because theycan't be bothered to venture into the homes of those who don't linetheir purses with coin does not mean she shouldn't be tested. Besides,it's harmless. And if she does have ability, better she learn tocontrol it now before she destroys something in intense emotion." Heturned his attention back to his daughter in his lap. "Now Levee, let'ssee what you can do." He held his hand in front of her palm flat toshow he held nothing. "Watch." He whispered words, moved his handsthrough the motions of the incantation and watched her reaction ofdelight as a tiny flame flickered to life in his palm.
"Can I try! Show me!" She wiggled with excitement, small hands already trying to mimic his movements.
"You must be still first." She went still in the way only a child can,barely contained, her hands clasped tight in her lap. "Good. Now raiseyour hands up like mine and try and follow the pattern." Large handsmoved through the motions, smooth and practiced. Her own hands followedthe motions, enthusiastically and choppy.
"Good. Now repeat after me as you move your hands." His voice quietlywhispered the words in here ear and she repeated them as she tried herbest to follow the movements he had taught her. Light and heat flashedbriefly above her palms as she finished the motions. It faded almostinstantly.
"Look daddy! I did it! I did it!" She moved her hands through themotions again, stumbling over the awkward phrasing of the spell andsmiled when she got the same result, a brief flash of heat and life.
"Yes you did." His voice patient as always. "Let us try one more time. This time don't rush the words."
"Why isn't mine pretty like yours?" She turned to look at his face as she asked.
"Was your very first try at weaving as pretty like your mothers are? It is the same. Pretty will come with practice Levee."
He had worked with Thalevia every night for several weeks on that sillylittle incantation. But even now, with all her training and knowledge,fire came best to hand with those motions, those nonsense words. Anymaster mage will tell you that you must have the motions, the circles,the ritual, the words for a spell to work. Thalevia had always foundintent worked just as well. Flashy circles and long drawn outincantations just allowed the mind to focus. And all the theatrics inthe world did not replace innate ability.
Thalevia sat on the edge of Scryer rise, her legs dangling over theside. She moved her hands through the motions, said the words andwatched as a ball of flame came to life in her palm, radiating lightand heat. She extinguished the flame and looked down at the letter inher lap. Her goblin had been unable to get past the second set ofguards at the city entrance and had been forced to turn around. Sheturned the thick vellum packet over in her hands and looked at the namewritten in her careful feminine script across the front. Surroundingthe back where she had pressed her seal into grey wax were the nonsensewords of the incantation he had taught her so long ago.
'Maybe it wasn't possible.' She thought to herself as she turned thepacket over and over in her hands. 'The past is the past after all.Except there has to be a way to get in contact with him. I need to knowwhy.'
Her hearthstone buzzed with activity and the voices of The Grim. Nowwas not the time to worry over it. She had preparations to make forherself before joining the others in another night in the Guardian'sTower.