Rei slowly creeps out of the shadows of the corner of the tavern where she had been sitting silently for a while. "This tavern seems to be getting quite a bit of attention lately hmm?" she says to the barkeep. "Another drink."
If one was not paying attention they would fail to notice the doors to the bar swinging open once more. A frail, hunched figure appeared in the door's opening and walked inside carefully. Its footsteps were almost completely silent, except for a faint moist, sticky sound whenever it raised a foot from the planks. It was dressed in a dark, plain and oversized robe that covered every bit of its body along with a large hood. Its toes stuck out from under the long rode when it took a step forward, and it was clear it was not wearing any shoes or socks, and the toes were almost entirely decayed.
The dark figure skulked up to the bar without making eyecontact with anyone. She reached her hand of her robe and put a few coins on the counter. The coins were slightly slimy from the figure's touch and tiny tendrils extended to its hand still. Most of its fingers were entirely decayed, but the palm seemed somewhat intact still.
"Just some wine. Pardon the... residue on your coin."
The figure spoke in a low, raspy, but still clearly feminine voice. She muttered her words and only looked up at the bartender to enjoy his sickened grin when he scattered her coins together. She grabbed her glass of wine and lowered her hood from her face. It was clear she had once had dark blonde hair, but now it was gritty and dirty and visibly not maintained. Her face was not very decayed yet, but it had lost a lot of its shape that it once seemed to have had. Her eyes glowed as she looked around the bar with a light smirk.
Being still startled by the human girl, the bloodknight did not grasp the fragile figure slipping past him. After he passed the girl however a faint smell crept up his nostrils. Having spent much time in the desolate plaguelands, this smell was very familiar to Khorianas, but still the memories it conjured were, unpleasent.
He followed the figure and heard that she ordered wine. The paladin thought it would be best to do the same to not raise any suspicion. The paladin set down on a barstool near the woman, and the goblin bartender hastily made his way towards him. The Paladin gave the goblin a slight nod, which the barkeeper returned.
"I'll have the Eversong red." as the barkeeper poured Khorianas a glass of the wine, from an elaborate bottle, The paladin set down a small leather bag on the counter. The bag toppled and two small gems rolled out of it. The barkeep quickly grabbed them and stuffed them back into the bag and looked around nervously as he stuffed the bag down his shirt. As the paladin inspected his glass, he muttered under his breath "Rest of my delivery also arrived?" the goblin nodded again. "Five bars, usual location" Khorianas rose his glass "Many thanks." Then the bloodelf took a first sip of his wine and looked around the Bar.
Catherine didn't spare more than a glance at the blood elf , but instead focused her gaze on the wall on the other end of the tavern. She had quickly noted the human at the counter which made the Forsaken slightly uneasy. It was clear from her shoulder armor that she had an affiliation with the Light, which instantly deemed her an enemy in Catherine's eyes. She could still recall the burning sensation all too clearly.
She instead focused her attention once again on the elf and listened in on the conversation between the him and the barkeep while sipping on her glass of wine. She couldn't make out much of the conversation but she seemed to catch a slightly nervousness in the goblin's voice. Whatever they were discussing, it was not meant for her ears. She smirked to herself and continued sipping before she glanced sideways at the elf once more.
She eyed him carefully up and down, trying to determine if the elf would be any threat to her. He did not look much like a wielder of the Light which made her relax somewhat. She shuffled closer to him, away from the human, and smirked at him. Her glowing eyes focused intently at his one visible eye as she spoke in a low, hissing tone.
"Isn't it wonderful, that no matter how badly life screws us over, we can always find comfort in these simple pleasures?"
She nodded at the glass in her hand, wiggling slightly in her frail grip. It was evident she was beginning to struggle to hold such fine objects as the neck of a wine glass with her decayed fingers. She moved her grip to the top of the glass and shrugged to herself.
Khorianas looked at the forsaken woman. She seemed to mean what she said, but he was still careful, given his recent dealings. But then he relaxed a bit.
"Well I think we have earned a bit of rest, now and then. And when life knocks you down, you just have to get up on your feet again, no matter what."
The paladin was cheerful as he started his sentence, but his mood darkened as he formed the words. With a sinister grin, he rose his glas to a toast.
Catherine rose her glass as well and fired a crooked smile at Khorianas. She tried to hide her teeth from him, but it would still be noticeable how rotten they were becoming. She quickly traded her smile for another sip of her wine in response to the toast. As she swallowed her wine down she continued to stare at the elf. He seemed war-torn, to say the least, and quite rough around the edges. It seemed to be a lot more to him than being a simple soldier. It was not her usual favorite type of person, but she still immediately liked him. There were many things about Catherine that had changed since she had last been outside her home. She hadn't seen many except from Millard and a few other close friends. She preferred solitude, and to only trust those who had already earned her trust since the.. incident about a year and a half ago.
The forsaken found herself staring at the elf and quickly focused her attention on the counter instead. She disguised her awkward maneuver by drawing a finger along the counter as if to feel the material. She sighed before she looked up at him once again. She was struggling what to say to the man. Despite that she had come far, she was still unused to socializing outside of Undercity and the shyness still lingered.
"So.. Got anything behind that patch?"
Catherine laughed out loud as soon as she uttered the words. She realizes the moment she'd said it how stupid it was, but it was already out and too late to cover up. She tried to remain confident by laughing and maintaining eye contact with him.
Khorianas first reaction was utter suprise then it slowly turned to anger, and looked fiercely at the woman. But then he realized, how did a lost eye compare to undeath. With many of his people now being part of the forsaken, he never had that strong prejudice. The forsaken must have been used to abuse and prejudice. But for Khorianas, he always just felt compassion, or if he was more honest to himself, pity. But the forsaken never wanted to hear that. So he thought a bit about what to say, before he answered
"Sadly, nothing pleasing. This is the one that got me good. I suffered many a wound, but this one really stuck with me. Happened during the Scourge wars. Took the blow to the face and was left at an outpost behind enemy lines. spent a few days crawling back, without medical care. That's why it looks the way it does. But I got up again."
Catherine felt Khorianas gaze pierce her defenses and she cowered slightly. She glanced nervously at the human before looking back at the counter. She hadn't forgotten about her, and remained on her guard. The undead cleared her throat before she answered the elf.
"I'm sorry to hear that. You seem to have a lot of stories to you, with all those scars."
Catherine lowered her voice somewhat before she looked up at the elf.
"The humour of the forsaken can be quite... crude and a lot of us like to be forward about these things. I'm sure you understand. Just like your people we have been through very hard times and suffered greatly. It helps to take the edge off. I meant no offense."
"Oh I'm not angry with you." Khorianas took a sip from his wine. "If anyone understands what my people have been through it is the Forsaken. The weeklings who left in hours of need would be to blame. The cowardly Quel'dorei and the human bastards. Never should have taught them magic in the first place." The elfs facial featured hardened as he continued his torrent of hatred. "Ironically, today we are allies of the trolls, for fighting whom we granted the humans the gift of magic. Fate can be cruel indeed. But I personally came to like our allies. Orcs and Tauren have rather fascinating philosphical insights. Way less shallow than what I have heard of human scholars."
"You better watch that mouth of yours, sin'dorei." said Ralof in a harsh and confident tone, with his fluent Thalassian. He was still standing leaned to the moist wooden wall of the tavern, just a few steps away from the bar counter. "You speak of cowards.. Cowards do not stand and fight. They run. They hide. They beg. They betray. They ally themselves even with their enemies, and turn their backs to their allies if it benefits them. I think you have mistaken yourself and your people with mine." he continued without showing any signs of fury. He took another sip and continued "I say even after your cowardly people begged help from my honorable ancestors, they should have ignored. They should not have shown valor and courage, honor and compassion, so your treacherous kind would not exist. So you would not blame us for the very disaster that also fell on us, and yet turn your backs and join the menace you suffered most.". He eyed the forsaken lady when he stopped, then he let out a deep sigh, "Alas, that is out of question now. But make no mistake, sin'dorei: True sons of Arathi still stand where they used to be. We do not flinch, we do not give up. So you better watch what you say." he said with a threatening voice. Not that he would do anything hostile againts that guy, he actually had sympathy towards the Sin'dorei after what happened to them, but still he would never let anyone speak ill of his people.
Catherine contemplated the elf's words to herself for a minute. His words were very harsh against her ancestors. Had he spoken like that a few years ago she would have been quite angry. But she too had been betrayed by the humans, or rather, one human in particular. Her trust and faith in her ancestors had been stained to say the least. She lowered her voice somewhat before she spoke again, in hopes of not angering the human by the counter.
"Hah, I used to be one of those. Before my rebirth, that is. But my magic is very different now. I have not even tried to make use of my old 'talent' since then, for obvious reasons. The Light has no mercy on us..."
Catherine stopped herself to take another sip of wine. She didn't wish to delve deeper into the subject of the Light, but for some reason she had still brought it up. She scrambled her brains quickly for another subject while she sipped on her wine.
"But then again, if I have learnt anything from 'life' it is that even the most devastating mistakes and painful events make who and what we are. So despite the pain I have suffered, and the pain that I am certain you have suffered too, it is the very thing that makes us stand here today and enjoy each other's company. So in a way, I am grateful that the humans have magic. It made me who I- .."
Catherine was interrupted by a bellowing figure she had considered nothing more than background noise until now. He did not seem pleased by Khorianas words. She eyed him carefully with her glowing eyes, trying to determine if he was of any threat to her.
Last edited by dubbelbasse; 2013-04-05 at 09:16 PM.
Khorianas listened to the forsaken Lady when he was hearing someone getting in on the conversation. When the man spoke Khorianas' eyes narrowed and the green glow in his healthy eye flickered vividly. The bloodelf answered in common, as he spoke all the time.
"Oh, are you refering to the brave act of Lord Garithos, pulling back all artillary forces from our prince, so he could make up for his strategical incompetence, while we fought tooth and nail to fight back the scourge? I must have overestimated human understanding of military strategy then. Also incarcerating my whole people for allying with the naga to compensate said loss could be considered turning on your allies. And talking of compassion while shunning those who made the ultimate sacrifice and held Lordaeron while you fled in the same sentence. This is priceless. Human narrow mindedness, lust for power and stubbornnes has cost the other races many times over. And it will be rather hard if not impossible to convinve me otherwise. Maybe if you would live long enough you could think a bit before you talk."
The Bloodelf waved a hand at the human and turned to the forsaken and muttered under his breath "damned loud mouths."
"Yes, because one asshole is enough to convict an entire race? Well then, if i use your very-thought-on-logic, your entire people are the same with your beloved Prince. It is so enlightening to see someone speak of narrow mindedness and yet still revere a scumbag such as Kael'thas. Oh, do i have to remind you who he served? Yet even then, he betrayed him too, to lick the boots of a greater master, isn't that right? Betraying people that trusts you must be a racial feat? Oh, did i sound racist? That must be because i put judgement on your entire people depending on my opinion of one twisted bastard. Sounds familiar? Please tell me more about narrow mindedness, as you seem an expert of it." spoke Ralof, teasing his adversary with a sharp tongue and words filled with irony. He then have gotten serious and said "Your sacrifices means nothing, because you have thrown them all by aiding the very undead that still plagues the realm. Or, do you naively think the Dark Lady is any better than Arthas? What would you say about the treatment she gave to fair people of Gilneas? Is it not true that she did not only murder them without provocation, but also raised them to undeath? Is it not true? Maybe that sweet lady over there would enlighten us on the latest situation there.." he gestured with his head towards the forsaken. He looked the blood elf in the single eye and said "Do not mistake us Highlanders with other humans, blood elf. Neither King Thoras nor any of our folk stepped back from a fight, ever. Most of our people were out in the Outlands, fighting off the Burning Legion demons when the Scourge outbreak happened. Alliance forsoke us just as the same with you. Our kingdom is crumbling, our castles are in ruin, our fields are flooded by trolls, ogres, undead, even treacherous folk of Alterac still seeks vengeance on us, but none of those is a blind excuse for us to turn our backs to our allies.". He took another sip as he was getting thirsty of the talk. He felt hopeless as he thought what he said made no difference on the blood elf, just like the rest of the blood elves he has been talking ever since, but he still carried a faint hope.. That some of the Sin'dorei would question their politics and their new loyalties.
Last edited by Mengucekli; 2013-04-05 at 03:03 PM.
" if one Humans actions are enough to make an entire race suffer then yes, I do blame him. Also do you mind telling me of a human that stoped Garithos? Objected his insane decisions?" the glow in Khorianas' eye intensified as he spoke further. "And don't you dare pass judgement on our former Prince, when almost all of our people were wiped out, and the sunwell was taken from us he did everything he could to ensure our survival. The twisting nether's coruption was, unfortunate, but your ill developed race can not comprehend the lack of something so fundamental as the arcane energies were to us. Illidan and the Naga extended a hand to us in this desperate hour while you left us to rot. Every damn ruler would have made the same decision, saying otherwise makes you a liar, or a blind fool." The green glow in the elfs eyes flickered more and more vividly. "Also I don't blame the forsaken to fight against their extinction tooth and nail, and I think we should end this discussion now, or i might have to get violent, and this will get us evicted from this lovely place."
Catherine remained on her guard. The tavern's moderately peaceful mood had begun to feel a lot more hostile to her. She was calm thus far, but went through a few spells in the back of her mind whilst trying to interpret the strange human's language. She couldn't make much of the Thalassian, but she noticed his gesturing and glancing at her. She knew she had some part in this argument, and her exclusion from it begun to make her quite irritated.
When Khorianas spoke once more it started to become clear to her what their argument was about. She looked between the two with a hint of fury glowing in her yellow eyes. Catherine was quite timid most of the time, but the increasing threat inside the tavern was beginning to get to her. She had to say something to defend herself.
"Squabble as you might, but if you intend to shame me or my people for anything at least have the decency to do it in a language I can defend myself in, human. But of course, I think we both would prefer it if you didn't."
Catherine was surprised by herself after she spoke. Not by what she said, but how amazingly plain her tone was. There was no sign of any emotion or threat in her voice. It was like it was as dead as she was.
Last edited by dubbelbasse; 2013-04-05 at 09:15 PM.
"Did any of the sin'dorei object Kael'thas' decisions? Did anyone try to stop him? No? Then your arguments are invalid. You are contradicting what you say yourself." replied Ralof, although a thought crossed his mind. I know a man that objected Garithos.. He looked at the glowing eyes of the blood elf. It was of no use to tell him how different each and every human being can be. Hatred seemed to completely consume him, and he saw Garithos whereever and whoever he looked at humans. Ralof grew tired of the blood elf's threats so he answered harshly "If you do not wish to speak, then do not. But if you speak ill of other people, do not expect to be ignored. I ain't no stranger of violance neither." as he landed his hand on his belt, caressing his gun. He eyed the forsaken while she spoke. He turned his face in disgust and ignored her words completely.
Last edited by Mengucekli; 2013-04-05 at 09:07 PM.
"Yes, because slowly going crazy from magic withdrawl in some dungeon is a true alternative. and I never asked you for your comment on events you didn't witness in person. So just leave me be with your nonsense." Khorianas waved his hand at the human again, and focused on the Forsaken woman again, and whispered under his breath. "I would like to see those humans in a situation comparable to ours then. I bet they would turn on each other within minutes."
Ralof turned his back and shook his head "They always have an excuse.." he murmured. He walked over to the bar and placed his empty tankard alongside a few gold coins. "That's enough for today." he stated with a smile, then walked towards the window to watch the bay.
A Dwarf walks into the tavern, slowly making his way to the bar, just glancing around at the fellow people in the tavern Hmm I see all sorts of people come here.
The Dwarf sits on a bar stool "Barman I will have a stout if you may", putting 3 gold coins on the counter, his drink arrived, he slowly started to sip it when the green glow of the blood Elf's eyes caught his attention.
Catherine shook her head and focused her attention on Khorianas again. She didn't wish to stir up a fight today after all, despite the human's outlash at them. She nodded silently and appreciated the silence that fell for a moment. When she spoke once more it was quiet enough for only him to hear.
"I get to witness it firsthand myself. It can be quite amusing watching the sheltered humans lash out after being reborn. Needless to say, not all of them have the strength that we do to overcome their destiny."
Catherine snickered quietly while she watched the dwarf enter the bar. She sighed to herself before she continued.
"No matter. Weakling will forever remain weaklings, in their original form or another. What is your name?"
Cataclysm Classic: Leveling in a Shattered Landscape
Cataclysm Classic: Leveling in a Shattered Landscape
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