Bloody hell. That imbecile listed me as his closest next of kin.
I had to come get him from the lounge, and then ask Dawn-Eve if I could drop him off at her place.
He righteously deserves all of the hangover he is going have in the morning.
He keeps muttering in his sleep, something about a grid…
Deer-related mission with The Botany Band. At first, I thought we were just looking for some deer fodder, but at the end of the evening I realized this was one of several pieces of a significantly larger puzzle.
It took some searching - and some of the locals were a little … aggressive - but we finally got the plants we needed.
Despite some… frightening jokes, it was a most excellent adventure in the wilderness.
Thanks to the serene and skillfull defense of the Pandaren male, we all (except himself) were mostly unharmed.
Another entry is made several days later:
Yes! I finally did it!
Who knew getting a flying license would be so much work? I mean, the actual skill is one thing… But all the people I had to impress before the Flight Master would even meet with me… I understand they might be stressed about getting as many soldiers as possible qualified for flying, but I felt like a no-name deckhand on his first voyage again.“Yeah, sure, I’ll put in a good word for you… If you get Ebonlocke off my back.”
So I travel all the way to Darkshire - dreadful place, by the way, that Duskwood! - and ask Ebonlocke what’s what.
“Oh, not much, you know, just the odd zombie… and giant spiders… and hostile worgen - some of which can do magic, apparently… Oh, and some wolves. Just regular wolves. Not magical or undead or anything like that. They will eat you if they can, though.”
Oh, and that “administration fee”! 250 bloody gold! Guess my first flying mount is going to be a rental… Or maybe the druids can teach me that flying shapeshift form…
Lecture with The Botany Band…
Expect the unexpected.
Why did Benari call Claire and me “pet”…?
Why is everyone else so tough when it comes to eating chili peppers?
Why was Benari so afraid of Maradan?
(Granted, Maradan was wearing some seemingly very nature-magical druid-looking armor, but is a draenei druid more scary than, say, an orc or goblin druid, or a human demon hunter, or an elf shaman…?)
What happened with Sharon?
Do people (dwarves and pandaren specifically) really eat vulpera?
Towards the end of the evening, Maradan gave me a sack of gems. Not like a wagonload, but still some gold’s worth.
He must be pretty rich (or just very generous) to be giving that away…
Oh, and Helgi and Dao invited me to accompany them to the Plaguelands, to visit Sharon, which sounds very interesting.
(3 in a row? Will the forum let me do that? Edit: Seems so.)
Went to The Botany Band’s meeting.
There was nothing special planned, I think, but we ended up on a fantastic adventure in Northrend.
We searched for a remedy that might aid one of our Botanists, who is apparently badly hurt.
We ventured into a dangerous area, but a draenei and “his little friend” kept us safe.
I got to test my wings a little, and my scouting skills, and my botanical knowledge.
There was no abundance, but when we left, it seems we had enough of the herb to help our fellow Botanist.
It felt really good to be a part of such an endeavor, knowing that our effort can significantly improve our friend’s recovery.
I must admit I’m still quite nervous about that journey to the Plaguelands, though…
I finally feel like I can get through a day without sudden panic attacks, but it took more than a week of intense therapy with all kinds of mentors, from priests to death knights, from Stormwind to the Shadowlands.
I always knew we might die on these missions, but the thought of being a slave to the old gods on a distant, unknown world… was more than I could bear.
The wisdom of the Holy folks was as I expected, but I was surprised by how much it helped me to speak with the death knights…
They offered … different - and unique - perspectives on death, or… the end of life.
It was also somewhat sooothing to hear about various Shadowlands Covenants’ views on those things.
Going fishing with Charlie helped too, taking my mind off the cosmic horrors of the Great Dark Beyond.
Who knew tonight’s attending members of The Botany Band were proficient at more than just botany?
With all of us working together, and dividing the tasks, we got nice amounts of both the special plant, and the specific fish, required to fulfill the order that will supposedly both make the world a little bit safer, and make The Botany Band somewhat less indebted.
I gave the reagents to Ethan, and when he is done turning them into the requested potion, I’ll deliver it to the… client, and his people will use it to complete their (not officially) supposedly Alliance-sanctioned mission. And then he will pay the price we agreed upon, and that will help the Band’s financial situation.
Oh - Ethan mentioned there was another Ethan, who was a member of The Band. I wonder if they confuse the two…
And - I can cook the other fish for dinner!
Commander’s Log
Fourth Monday of JuneI believed our task to be a very straightforward endeavour, so I never expected it to find such a gruesome conclusion.
What brought us to the north in the first place was a deal that Phineas managed to seal with our wood supplier. Georgie Woodburn agreed to give us a discount if we went to his lumber mill and scared the local fauna away; the boars and the bears were posing a threat to his workers, who refused to do their jobs until the matter was solved. My—or should I say the Brigade’s—low funds made the deal very attractive, so we wasted no time and embarked on a journey north.
Phineas convinced Georgie to let us borrow a cart. Unfortunately, in a typical Phineas manner, he forgot to ask for a horse . I made my peace with a very long walk that loomed ahead of us, but Kuva managed to surprise me again. She called upon her druidic powers and changed her form into that of a hulking, bipedal bear-creature.
Judging from the mild panic we’ve caused as we hurtled down the streets of Boralus, I believe my countrymen have never seen a rampaging bear-creature pulling a cart full of screaming people.
Soon enough we made our way to the lumber mill—I find it important to note that Kuva didn’t seem to even break a sweat—and ventured into the woods to investigate. At first things seemed normal enough, but as we pressed deeper into the wilds a sense of unnatural dread soon came upon us. Dark magic was thick in the air, and soon enough we found the cause—a terrible totem hanging from a nearby tree, radiating darkness.
Before we had a chance to properly inspect it, an infernal squealing heralded an arrival of a corrupted creature—a massive boar, bloated with dark magic and blinded with hatred. I called for the Brigade to attack the animal while Phineas called for Aura and Azinii to destroy the effigy with their magic. Our enemy proved exceptionally strong and far more durable than I expected a boar to be. Kuva managed to hold it down, but at a great price—sharp tusks nearly tore her stomach open. Only after Aura and Azinii blasted the totem to smithereens did we succeed at putting the beast down.
We took a moment to tend to Kuva. I admit that the sight of my friend’s blood staining the ground was a nasty shock. For a moment I considered leaving the woods and reporting our findings to the city guard, but I couldn’t turn back just after I confirmed that at least one practitioner of Drust magic found her way to an area so dangerously close to Boralus.
We decided to press forward. We followed magical disturbances, which led us to a cave lost deep in the wilderness. We were vary of wild animals—especially after we realized some of them might be corrupted and far more aggressive than normal—so Phineas and Sparrow went ahead to scout. I saw their faces go pale as they beckoned us over.
What we found in that cave turned my guts to ice. I saw two young bear cubs, brutally slaughtered and turned into obscene effigies. Between them was a den mother—a hulking beast of a bear—rendered immobile by dark magics of the Drust, her bounds powered by the very wards created from the mutilated bodies of her children.
The sight shook me to the core and for a moment all I could see were the warm memories of Beart, Helgi’s bear companion. The second I snapped out of shock I ordered Kuva to try and calm the mother bear down while the rest of the Brigade attempted to dismantle the effigies. They proved rather difficult to destroy—Azi’s Light couldn’t quite overpower their magic. In the end it was fire that purified whatever aberrant energy was tied to these wretched things and set the den mother free.
As we retreated from the cave to give the grieving creature some space, a dark presence fell upon us. A witch revealed herself right behind us. I ordered the Brigade to attack, but before we could strike her down she engulfed herself in her Drust magic and passed through us, heading for the cave in order to—I presume—unleash the den mother upon us.
Next thing we knew a furious roar echoed from the cave, followed by the witch’s shrieks and the unmistakable sound of cracking bones. The mother bear, now free of her shackles, stumbled out of the cave, leaving the mutilated witch in her wake. We kept a safe distance when she approached to sniff the remains of the effigies. Once she was done we watched her return to the forest, which regained some of its peace.
Together with Sparrow we ventured into the cave to take care of the witch’s remains. I cut off the villain’s head, which was far easier than I expected. Third time’s a charm, as they say. Or maybe it’s because unlike the K’thir and the troll, the only previous victims of my beheading skills, the witch did not protest. When I was done I asked Sparrow to burn the body. She proved her versatility once more when she opened a magical gateway to Boralus to spare us the trip back home. Kuva and Hulfar stayed behind to drag the cart back to the city while the rest of us stepped through the portal.
I dismissed the Brigade and headed for the nearest guard station. After I presented the guard captain with the witch’s head and a short testimony, I was rewarded a pouch of coins for the Brigade’s contribution. It seems like Hulfar will be getting her compensation after all.
Signed:
Sharon Wells
Tonight was not like any other night.
Being both blissfully tranquil and frustratingly uneventful, it was in many ways quite normal, but something else made it special.
I was patrolling Darkshore, as I have been doing increasingly often in the last months - since several of the more experienced rangers and sentinels are doing… important things in the Shadowlands, I suppose.
It was a slow night, as usual. I aided a lost dwarf (explorer or something), negotiated territorial disputes with bears and nightsabers, picking some herbs, listening to the old folk’s tales…
Then I met a peculiar looking elf - similar to the Shal’dorei - but she seemed friendly, so I stopped and spoke with her.
It seems she, too, was frustrated with some dwarves. She was going to a beach party with her friends, I think, and I had much left of my patrol route, so we parted ways…
It is nice to see peace and calm returning to Darkshore, although I may become restless and want to experience something new… sometime in the future.
There is a relatively recent entry in a big, young Kul Tiran’s journal…:
What a day!
First the honorable culling of the overpopulous boars and crabs, to protect region long-term…
And firmly telling off the gnolls and others who approached us aggressively.We were merciful on purpose, to not make life harder for the locals who have to share the area with them.
I even managed to harvest some hopefully reproducable kelp, without fighting any murlocs!
Then Uda invited us to her farm, which was a long walk, but it was very cozy.
Sharing a fantastic meal there, and talking until the late hours of the night, we decided to help Uda a bit with the restaurations and repairs she’s been meaning to do.
Money was procured for materials and such, and I volunteered to go out and get enough fish to keep everyone from going hungry (on the condition that someone help me cook it, of course. I’m a sailor and fisherm… Not a cook).
I’m very glad that other druid came along, fascinating fellow! I hope to meet him again.
Finally! Armored gryphon, here I come!
Inspired by the amazing adventurers I met at the last Evening At The Forge, I decided to step up my efforts to get my flying license.
I did all sorts of missions, scratched the captain’s back, polished his boots…
I traveled far; thru the hills and far away - helping big ones & small ones in need - all in the name of The Order of The Silver Hand. (As far as my commander’s concerned, anyway…)
I worked long hours, slept rough, rode many miles, and even traveled through some of them portals. Had some good adventures, some good fights with bandits & other foes, some close calls…
Luckily, there were other aspiring knights looking to prove themselves, so I got some help sometimes.
‘Lorlathil is tranquil these nights. I realize that this is my first entry since my return from the Shadowlands. It still feels strange to have returned from the other side of the veil, but somehow life here now feels more vibrant. I assume the change lies within myself. Sylendra has been troubled by my refusal to speak about my experiences on the other side. It is not my place to bring the afterlife into life more than what the recent world-shattering events forced upon us all. The forest knows that all shall come to pass in the appointed time. Despite my principled aproach, I sensed serenity within her after I gave her the nighthade-written letter from Athelas. Fate owes her that much. Sylendra is a gentle leaf blown about in the harsh world winds. Something has changed. I find our hearts growing closer as the nights pass by. Shanna melor’ne adala fal.’
I took some time off from The Tower, to pursue “personal interests”.
I hope they are well - they probably are;
they rarely depend on me to save the day, although I do try to be useful and clever.
I went to Nazmir, of all places, to explore and procure. Did a bit of hunting, fishing, gathering - traveling between the various secure encampments. Heard some crazy stories about events before the (4th) war ended.
Despite all the damage the blood trolls caused, the region is full of life (albeit some species are hostile).
Over the course of the last couple of months, through various tasks, I have improved my standing among my people, and gained access to new and improved armor - exquisite, one might even say.
I feel ready for anything.
This journal entry is marked by unsteady handwriting, as if the owner was, for example, shaking with cold…
I have experienced some things. If the voyage is long and boring, people do many sorts of things to pass the time.
But kilts and sandals… in the snow… fighting to unleash our inner fire… bears in trees…
Oh. Now I know. It was all just a fever dream.
Why else would that beautiful elf just drop by, and suddenly leave…
…
Get well soon, Lillian!
(You wrote that yourself, you just don’t remember.)
Oh, hello, Lillian! Nice to see you recover so well from that cold.
Written in a brand new journal of Tortollan make.
After one final short stop to let the Brigadiers pick up any last-minute necessities, we are now ready to sail across the ocean for the first time. I am a little nervous about how the Blackfall will perform on such a long trip. Despite all the necessary repairs and blessings I’ve cast on her sails, she’s not exactly in tip-toe shape just yet. By the Tides, just thinking about my loooooong list of planned improvements… Anyway, while she’s been nothing but reliable on the waters around Kul Tiras the true test will always be the ocean.
In fact, it will be a test not only for our ship, but for the crew as well. Between Kul Tiras, Gilneas, and Tol Barad my people have practised handling the ship and working under Phineas’ orders, but the sight of land tends to put new sailors at ease. We will see how they react when they are surrounded by nothing but water and sky. After this expedition we will know for certain who fits the Brigadier’s life and who doesn’t.
I am a little concerned about Hulfar. She’s been butting heads with Kuva recently and her coarse attitude is definitely not helping. Personally I don’t mind her (Tidemother knows Hulfar at her worst is not even half as bad as Tharien whenever something mildly inconveniences him), but Kuva seems to find her posturing frustrating. I should talkThere is one thing that worries me more than any other. That creature we saw in Gilneas. I can’t seem to get it out of my head. Only yesterday I almost fell out of my chair when the lamp tilted and a play of shadows made me see the monster lurking in the corner. I can tell I’m more jumpy than usual–normally I wouldn’t have panicked so much around those spiders we killed.
Now we’re on our way to Tanaris, chasing after rumours and whatever information Rukina could deliver to our Listener. I can’t say I’m happy to go after whoever had a hand in creating the monstrosity in Gilneas, but it’s not like we can gloss over something like this…
Turnips… I never knew they could be so powerful - or so hated… But they were effective in achieving our goal. And I caught some strange new fish. And the brewery talk was VERY interesting…
Oh, and Pandaria was amazing!
That nice elf lady was there, too.
Wait… Does that mean my fuzzy memories from last week… actually happened? 
Tanaris has been our safe harbour for a while now. No signs of the Scourge so far, although I was informed that the city has had its fair share of undead trouble not too long ago. It seems like we were lucky enough to fit right into a lull of sorts. Perfect timing.
As far as I can tell, Kuva’s birds remain silent. I pray to the Tidemother that their silence means we managed to nip the problem in the bud. I have never seen the normally benevolent powers of Life twisted in such a gruesome way. What we found in that empty hive still haunts my mind.
I wish I couldI nailed a new notice board to the wall of the mess hall. There are things around Tanaris that need doing. Hopefully work will
distract me fromhelp me find my focus once more.
My crew thinks I’m doing better now. That I’m coping somehow. How does one cope with loss of an eye? I don’t know, but apparently I am putting up a convincing enough front. I see relief in their eyes whenever they see me smile.
I’ve been smiling a lot lately.
<A few lines of text have been meticulously crossed out to the point they look like one thick black block.>
I thought I could write about it, but words refuse to flow. Maybe later, when the wound is not quite so fresh.
Good night.
Botany Expedition for the first time in a long time.
Went to the Thousand Needles, hunting for resources. Fish, seaweed… Even some gold.
There were pirate divers, but we managed to elude them, thanks in no small part to some of the resources we brought with us.
Then, to top it all, we got to end the evening with a fantastic seafood meal.
Now sleep.
I have heard some people say it is a “small world”, but I must say, after spending the last couple of years traveling it, I strongly disagree.
When I was far enough along in my training, and was allowed to leave the Broken Isles, I expected adventures…
But Azeroth really feels like several worlds in one, with how diverse the different lands are… Pandaria… Northrend… Even Kalimdor and “the Eastern Kingdoms” - which apparently to some people feel uneventful and boring - are extraordinarily fascinating to me!
And to think there are realms beyond Azeroth, that are even more amazing…
We’ve been stuck at the outpost for a few days now. We have to get the wagons back on the road as soon as possible, but so far the flood shows no signs of relenting. I don’t know if it’s because I’m still weak after our encounter with the kraken, but the waters seem completely deaf to my pleas. I’m starting to grow restless. The Alliance settlements need their supplies and if we fail to deliver them in time… it will become a problem.
If that wasn’t bad enough, I already have a problem: the damned necromancer. Phineas was adamant on sparing her, so we did. Now I have no idea what to do with her.