[A-RP] Twelfth Penal Company - DISBANDED

Argent Dawn
67

To my Dearest Sister, Duvain.

I am writing this letter and sending it to the last place that I know you were around in the hope that it finds you at some point.

I have got myself into quite a lot of trouble and ended up being arrested and thrown into the stockades on charges of piracy and the murder of a naval officer. But please don’t panic I have escaped the noose by signing myself up to being recruited into the Twelfth Penal Company to serve my sentence, it seems the Alliance need all the troops they can get to fight the war and have resorted to signing up prisoners now.

And please I am not writing to ask you to come rescue me or break me out, I know I have done a bad thing by killing someone, who I have since found out had a family so I feel I need to be punished for it, so please Sister no heroics

We are stationed at the Westbrook Garrison in Elwynn Forest, I arrived just short of a week ago and am still getting used to things, at least I have been able to wander around outside a little, although we are restricted on how far we can go, but there is a river close by and we are in the forest so I can find some peaceful spots to sit and think when given some down time from my duties.

The captain of the company reminds me a little of father, he is very strict and demanding and likes things to be done properly and without delay, but he seems more than happy to answer my questions of which I have had lots so far, and it seems if you catch him at the right moment he is at least approachable, although I imagine you don’t want to get on his bad side, again just like father was, I still have nightmares about what father did to that servant that time. Anyway I will do my best to make sure I stay in the Captain’s good books and don’t get on his wrong side.

I am still getting to know the other recruits and new ones arrive frequently it seems. But of the ones I have got to know they are a mix of types, I guess that’s really what you expect when they are drawn from prisoners.

There is a young man here whose nickname is Stitches, (yes just don’t ask) I like him, he was the first that I really spoke to and he seems down to earth enough, and he is also nice enough to look at too which is a bonus. He also has a talent for drawing, he showed me a sketch and it was good,maybe if I write again I can ask him to sketch me and send with the letter.

Theres a another recruit here called Goldenfield who annoys me, I am having to bite my tongue when he is around, as he constantly acts like he is some fancy pants officer and tells us what we should be doing. And you know I find it hard to bite my tongue , but in the interests of not causing a scene I am trying.

Also a women arrived at the same time as me, she reeks all over of shadow, I am not sure quite what she did to end up in the Stockades but whatever it was resulted in her having a collar blessed with the Light around her neck. I just hope it stays there, as we both know from when we looked into the void there is nothing there to be worshipped, only madness, torment and whispered lies. I am being wary around her until I find out more, but I have raised my concerns about her to the Captain and only hope he takes note of them.

There is also a dwarf here, most of the others in here are human so it’s nice to not be the only non human, I think you would like him, there was beer around the other night and he drunk almost as much as you do. You two would get on so well and he called me a pretty one so when I told him I had a sister he seemed very happy, maybe I can set you up on a date with him Sis and you can go drinking together!!!

Oh a few last things before I run out of ink and candle light, when I was in the stockades I was swindled out of my last possessions by a balding gnome with glasses called Tobais Fiddletwinks, he said he could get me off all the charges and only after me signing my confiscated assets over to him did he tell me to plead guilty and serve the sentence. The horse and armour I can live without, but he took the dragonfly pendant that mother gave us each when we came of age and he took my bow too… Shadows Kiss. I am in no position to get them back so please Sis I will hug you lots and love you even more if you could track him down and get my things back by whatever means you decide best, you are the only other one that can use Shadows Kiss without the curse coming out, hopefully whoever he sold it on to will have found that out by now and be sitting in some corner mumbling and mad.

Oh and lastly, yes I promise and I am almost out of ink now anyway, My faithful hound Petal wasn’t with me when I was arrested I had left him to wander and hunt around Stranglethorn as he was never good on boats, I know he is quite able to look after himself but if you are able to track him down it would be nice for him to see a friendly face.

With all my love and hugs

Your sister

Nithsethel. X X X.

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68

Date, 29 of the first month.
Writer, Modian.
Location, Billet.

I spotted some bear tracks today, while I was out having a quick was near the river. It perked my interest abit and I started tracking them, of what I could tell it seemed like a big male had walked around the garrison late the night before.

With some time on my hand, I choose to take abit of a “PT” off tour, and I followed the tracks, perhaps out curiousity or boredom, I dont know. Couldent shoot it, I´d be far to big a kill to haul back and the fur aint really worth the trouble of having to explain to Gladstone why I´ve been out “bear stalking” instead of doing some training.

Spent a good hour stalking them tracks and as I continued to walk along, I got abit more of an image of the bear. Seemed to be a good old male, properly as big as a thousand pounds or so, but I werent sure.

Not before I got a glimps of him, and darn it, he was massive. Shoulders were about a meter appove the ground, dark brown fur and some massive paws. I couldent help but to admire that big beauty, so I picked a seat and studied him. When he moved, I slowly stalked after him.

At one point he stopped dead in his tracks and turned slowly, looking at me as I looked back. He dident seem aggressive or rather bothered by my presence, he just threw a few curious glances at me now and again.

after a good two hours of this, I choose to slowly backtrack, he kept to his eat and savaging of plants. Abit odd to see a bear our so early of hypernation this late in winter, but I guess with that body, you need some food to keep going.

I hope he sticks around, he´s a beauty, but he could cause trouble.

Personal Status, Fresh healthy and getting bored.

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69

To My Dearest Sister Duvain

I am writing to you again, in the hope this letter reaches you at some point, although in truth just writing it makes me feel close to you and eases my troubled mind a little.

The guilt of that night has been eating into me and I have been having the dreams more often, maybe me finding out about the man’s family that I killed has made it worse, or just made me think more about what we did that night. I question over and over in my thoughts on if what we did was evil or if it was an accident, that we were pushed into by fathers actions.

I went to the captain yesterday, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the real reason for my guilt so I told him it was because of the man I shot, that it was because of his family, but in truth you know the real reason Sis.

I asked him to punish me by the most severe method used, I could see in his eyes he did not want me to ask it and that I caused him pain by asking, but I thought maybe that to feel punished in the way father used to do to the servants might bring some sense of redemption to my troubled mind.

He made it quick as he had promised me, the whip came down on my back just twice, it hurt even more than I imagined, on the second stroke I almost fell, if not for the wall in front of me then I know I would have.

I called out to mother, I told her I was sorry, I do not know if she heard, if she was watching in some way, if she will forgive us both for our actions that night.

I was treated after by the woman I mentioned before in my last letter , the one of shadow, I argued with her the night before last about her beliefs, I did not expect her to offer help but she used her knowledge to heal the wound, although not the scar, I will have that now I think forever, although that is nothing I think compared to the scars I have inside me now.

The young man came to me after, before I slept, of everyone here so far I like him most, he told me I was selfish, I could hear the disappointment in his voice. I have probably lost him as a friend now, I don’t want that, but maybe I deserve it, I will try and talk to him, I hope he can forgive me for my choices… But in truth I don’t know how to heal, I don’t know how to lessen the guilt I feel and find some form of closure.

I will write again soon when my head is maybe clearer.

All my love to you

Your Sister

Nithsethel X X X

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70

Date 31. of the first month.
Writer, Modian.
Location, Billet.

I took out early today, about five Am, and started to track down the bear. Captain Hawke Handed me some drugs to use on the bear. With all the other folk being so murderish for the blood of that beauty, I choose to get it moved, or rather Hawke handed me the option. Apperently she got somewhere to locate it, so I worked along with the idea.

I took one of the rabbits I´d killed the day before and rubbed the drugs all over the corpse of the rodent, before finding a good position in the midst to the eastern outskirts of the Garrison. Along with abit of rot it worked as a charm.

I placed myself near a trunk of a dead tree, having masked my scent with mudd, dirt and the grass, I took to waiting. Spending some time just gazing into the wilderness, it was rather peaceful, ontop of the troubles from last night.

It dident take long, the big brute came around about an hour after I´d set up the trap. It started devouring the rabbit, ever so greedily. It dident take long before he fell into a deep slumber. Even after he fell asleep I took a few minutes to wait for the drugs to truely turn it into a near Coma, before I walked over to it, and darn it was big, when I got closer it seemed more like 1400 hundred pounds and its claws as big as a buckler. Couldent help but to stroke it abit, knowing it´d be safe for now.

Not long after those folk Hawke talked about showed up, and started to move it. I was kinda sad to see the bear go, it was after all just living it´s life in its natural home, but rather that than murdered for no good reason.

Status, fresh, sore and pleased.

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71

Sorry if this detracts from the core of this thread, but I just have to say i’m really happy this concept has taken off, as it’s a really cool idea. The whole “redeeming the crims with good honest military” against the background of “betterment in the Light” is pretty golden, and gives me major vibes of the whole penitentiary movement.

I could really see the Lightforged being really into this idea. Repurposing the dredges of society into a fighting force against the backdrop of holiness? That’s pretty much what they did sans the criminal element.

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Thank you very much! I am glad that You are following along!

For those reading here don’t be afraid to comment, we welcome all here :slight_smile:

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73

Thanks for the kind words man! It’s a blast - if you think the guild looks good on paper, just wait till you see what the actual RP is like. :wink:

These letters give depth and context to the characters’ experiences and emotions. In-game I interact with them every day from late afternoon till past midnight cause I can’t get enough. :nerd_face:

Honestly feel blessed to be among such a colourful and intriguing bunch of characters.

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74

My void elf Nith has only been in the guild a week today, but I can honestly say its one of the best weeks of RP I have ever had, I have been looking forward to logging in every day.

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75

Thank you guys for showing up at Eastvale last Friday, it was a blast having you there. <3

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76

Just what’s a crime worthy of being put in a penal company? Smuggling? Lewd and disorderly conduct? Portal magic without a lisence? Whistling after the Lady Proudmoore?

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If you end up the Stockades, you can end up with us. Thievery and assault are the more common crimes but we do stand ready to defend Lady Proudmoore’s dignity!

Would love to meet you again Suraia, thanks for having us!

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78

Ahem, you clearly mispoke Lady when you surely meant the Lord Admiral Jaina Proudmoore.

Jokes aside, these guys are solid and true to the concept of penal soldiers in the Warcraft setting.

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As Allies with these guys can definatly say they are a great bunch to roleplay with and their idea is a great one and we wish many good and long years roleplaying with them. <3

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81

Thanks you guys! Appreciate the kind words. :hugs:

Not that we got told before it was too late to go back, but the Twelfth has been shipped off to a warzone. For some of our fresh boys and girls it’s their first deployment ever. So far only one penal soldier has jumped overboard, so all in all, things are going great.

Snapshot - the briefing prior to boarding

https://gyazo.com/850825deeed1b36ba33019106ebf3379

The IC objectives are [Classified - Top Secret] but I can tell you that we’re having a ton of fun mingling with the Kul Tiran Marines, Tideforged Corsairs, Gilded Lions, and the Sha’ur in a rather dangerous and exciting campaign, hosted by Sergeant Seabridge.

The first day has been very suspenseful:

Making landfall

https://gyazo.com/13a9fd5e44b84e4d2ddfe7ead6f7e2d4
https://gyazo.com/d18c08bc4d30e406ea1726ac3457ce22

Now to convince Jaggerhawk that Hollins wasn’t hitting on those draenei…
And to convince Sevestra that he’s not terrified of her…

You two are not making this easy! :stuck_out_tongue:

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To my dearest sister Duvain

I hope this letter finds you soon Sis.

I am starting to settle in to my new life, although I am finding it hard, when at the garrison it can get very tedious, I mean there is training and drills and duties to be done, but they don’t fill the entire day and when you have some hours to yourself I find it hard to find things to entertain me.

I have spent time down by the river , either sitting and looking across at the hills or trying to catch fish, but it’s not like the view changes and the weather here is often not so good, and there is little fun in sitting out in the rain and cold.

We had a visit from a Captain Hawke who was off duty, she brought a jar of cookies and gave them to me, I also asked her if she ever went to the Darkmoon Faire and if she was passing would she mind getting me a balloon, and she seemed more than happy to do this.

Only later she came and apologised and said some of the others had told her not to as we were not allowed luxuries or it seems fun!, after that I decided to keep the rest of the cookies to myself and stashed them in a secret spot because at least they bring me some comfort.

I am struggling with understanding the human culture and the way they think, they were mocking me and teasing me for wanting a balloon and called me childish, but I don’t see what the problem is. What harm is it to have a balloon which I can enjoy when not on duty.

Maybe they just don’t understand because they have such short lives and have to grow up so quickly, it seems they think fun should end when your still just a few years old and then you have to get all serious.

I am still struggling with the void worshipping woman Eve…. she seems to question everything I do and always wants the last word and to appear to be right in everything she says, I also am worried she is trying to influence others around her and trying to twist them to believe in the same madness as her. She spends lots of time with my friend Terry, and although I know he has his own mind I am concerned she may get to him with her words, she is very good at doing what she does, twisting her beliefs into sounding wonderful and the only way… but how can ending all gods, all life and returning everything to nothingness and the void be good?, sometimes she almost sounds like the very whispers that try and corrupt us from the void and I wonder if it’s actually her speaking or the shadows that have corrupted her.

Again I am running low on ink and candlelight, I will write more again soon, there is talk we are being deployed soon, not sure to where or how long… at least the view will be different.

With all my love

Your sister

Nithsethel X X X

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83

Location, Invasion point.
Date, 6th of the second month.

I´m out of myself… I came here to fight the Horde and end the war in one strike, to get some needed peace for the world, but what happend to night ruined me spirituelly. The Shaur, an order of the Draenei people, with lightforged, committed something today that I cannot forget.

I dident see it happen, I only thought that´d they would kill the men and women and leave the kids for the Horde to take care for, orphans are natural as an outcome of war, but to see a Lightforged, one whom are imbued with the light itself!.. kill an innicont child and starting and out right murdering spree, that… that is something I never wanted to experiance.

I´m a killer, and I admit that I take lifes for the better of my fellow folk, but I´m also a follower of the light, and there is laws, the virtues, we have to follow them to ensure the bettermen of our united people, but how can I believe in such words, when one of the “purest” being slaughters children without remorse?!

I´m angry and bitter about it… but something else have fallen over me, thoughts of endless ideas, how all faiths in no matter what god or deities has such acts done in the name of them. I´ve always thought that the Draenei strived to be better and pure, a prime ideal to strive for, but today it broke that dream of mine of such an ideal.

I can´t have faith insomething that allows this, I can´t have faith in anything, for all faith holds some horrible at as this, without punishing those whom do so in their name.

To the nether with faith, I´ve had enough of being told the kindness and great acts of a god or deity. If I strive to be a better person, it aint gonna be because of some magical ideal or creature, it´s to make sure such ZEALOTS! do not continue such acts.

I wanna cry for those kids, I know it was Zandalari kids… but they were still kids and they deserve better than being killed because of some damn ideals of justice. This war dident cause me my life, or wounded me, this war caused me my faith…

status, lost.

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84

The rain muffles out the soldiers’, all Evelynn can hear is the sound of her shovel hitting the soil. Her hands are shaking and her breathing is shallow, but there’s a job to be done.

There’s an audible crack as the soldier thrusts her shovel down once more. Carefully, she opens her eyes, only to be met with Terry’s split-open face lying in the muddy trench. Her eye widens as she retrieves the shovel, the dull edge dripping with blood.

She stares at the mutilated corpse, her breathing speeding up and growing unstable. She looks around for help, but all she sees is corpses.

Evelynn gasps for air once returning to reality. She looks around herself hastily, only to see that there’s still soldiers standing guard, talking, or sleeping. Whispered swears escape her lips as she scratches her arm, anxiously rocking herself back in forth.

Killing is easy.

Sleeping is hard.

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87

I’ve said it once before I’ll say it again, these bunch are gems in Argent Dawn, can’t support them harder than I already do, they add a real sense of contrast to hardened soldiers, and this post here…proves it. May Terry rest well Salute

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88

Nith sat on her bedroll in camp, the noise of the jungle was all around her, it never seemed to be quiet here, sleeping was hard, the air was damp and hot, and insects constantly seemed to seek to find any exposed skin to feast on.

She sat and watched the comings and goings for a while, not feeling in the mood to really talk to others but content to just think things over to herself.

The combat of earlier had been tense, but she had been in the back rows for most of it, and away from the more intense fighting, at one point she had got separated from the rest of the twelfth but had managed to find them again.

She had mostly laid down covering fire with her arrows, letting them fly high above the front lines and come down into the rear lines of the horde forces, it was a more random way to take out enemies and a waste of arrows as many missed or glanced off helms, but some would find there marks and thin the ranks.

As the horde lines had started to waiver and then break they had started to flee , Nith had switched tactics then, moving to aim at specific targets, there were a lot of trolls, but she had opted instead to target the sin’dorei, she still felt a hatred towards her former kinfolk, the years she lived in Silvermoon, pretending to agree with the regime, pretending she loved being part of the savage horde and seeing them bring Silvermoon down to there own level and infesting the city with forsaken and goblins, trolls and orcs.

Nith glanced at the beautifully crafted elven recurve bow she had taken as a prize, she had spotted the Sin’Dorei that wielded it as she was running from the battle, such a bow must have cost a lot, so Nith thought the Sin Dorei was most likely in a noble house, no doubt one of those nobles that used to look down on her when she attended the fine balls and dances in Silvermoon.

Nith had aimed her own bow at the fleeing elf, placing an arrow neatly through her neck, killing her mid flight, then once the area was clear of Horde she had been able to make her way to the body and claim her prize, she had rolled the elf over with her boot, looking down at the vacant eyes, and whispering to to her “Sorry I killed you, but your bow was nice and I wanted it”

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Kaibyrne sat at his desk, illuminated by candlelight he looked at the mound of paperwork that required his limited attention. Reports, requests, inquiries, even letters of protest from disgruntled members of the populace about Convicts breathing fresh air all took a toll on the Captain.

He pushes back from the table with a sigh, his chest began to tighten as his legs felt weightless, sweat pouring down his forehead as if he were melting, his energy being sapped quickly. He knew these symptoms well, he clumsily reached for some paper and quill knocking over the ink pit he began to frantically write out some herbs his writing distorted and messy, barely comprehensible the last few words training off the page as he fell over with a thud, Captain Down.

A few weeks later…

The cold glass pressed against his dry cracked lips as the scent of earth and grass infiltrated his nostrils just as the thick, revolting liquid dragged it’s way down his gaping throat. He knew what it smelt like, what it tasted like, but he never knew what it felt like, not until now. He continued to tip the potion into his mouth, fighting the urge to gag, each swallow is a struggle as he empties the contents of the concoction into his mouth. He discards the bottle, sliding it across the desk as he sits himself up, the strength in his arms returning. His eye lighten, allowing him to keep them open with ease as he looks around the room, the numbing sensation leaves his legs as he wiggles his toes. A queer sound groans from his stomach as he simply breaths, his nose and chest feeling clear as his head for the first time in what felt like a decade his head stopped pounding.

Swinging his leg over the side of the bed he reached for the walking stick that he had requested be left at his bedside, digging it into the floorboards, he leaned on it heavily as his legs almost gave out from under his weight. Shuffling across the room like a newborn calf he swings open his wardrobe, grabbing the bare essentials he struggles to dress himself, leaving the straps looser than normal as he lacked the patience or strength to tie them properly he falls down behind his desk, where he collapsed all those days ago.

He closed his eyes, clutching his pendant, he prays silently for a moment, basking in the serenity until it is interrupted by the sound of marching feet, the sound of soldiers, of Duty…

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