World of Warcraft®

The Maggot Lord looked about him. A smal team of Horde had gathered for this assault. Raoul was present, of course. Lord Aziel was there, along with Thelinna and TYrexus. Bloodgrief, Filuz, Yrkkh, Nocaclaw, Kunlokku, and Mialera the naga lady rounded things out. This would be good.

Raoul went ahead and secured a safe summoning spot, high in the Dun Morogh peaks. With the force gathered, Abominus spoke.

"Tonight we attack the Alliance clinnic, yesss. We hear tell thatGentyl ssshould be there to guard, asss well asss many sssick and injured Allaince warriorsss, yesss. thisss will ssserve to clear out sssome of them, and damage their capacitiesss, yesss. Alssso, we need fresssh dwarf liversss, yesss. I will capture one alive for my experimentsss, too, yesss. A few of you alssso want to sssup on Draenai, yesss, which we encourage, yesss." Abominus looks at Raoul, who is busy muttering about beautiful purple blood. "Alssso, we know Lord aziel will no doubt sssow ssosme chaosss or hatch a plan or three, yesss..."

" We will be fassst, yesss! We will be precissse, yesss! Our only target isss the clinic, any Pia who ssshow, and any who dare to try to ssstop usss, yesss. You know the targetsss, and you know what to do, yesss! Now, fly, yesss!"

"AAAIIIEEE!!!"

The strike team flew into ironforge, dodging the aerial patrols. A swift flight was all it took, and the Clinic was in sight. Many wounded Alliance soldiers were being tended, as well as other diverse members of that faction. Suddenly, flame and ice fell from the sky, with Abominus and the melee members dropping into their midst, slashing and hacking. Chaos was immediate! Scores fell in the first rush, and the surviving members retreated to a small home, trying desperately to pull the wounded with them and form some defense. Screams issued forth over their hearthstones.

Blood!

Death!

Maggots feasting!

It was Glorious!

As casualties mounted, Abominus looked up from Mir'as corpse, as Bloodgrief laid low Gentyl. "Carve me sssome of her liver and ssspleen, yesss!" The elf nodded, and bent to his task. Abominus finished stuffing his maw with fresh draenai liver, saving some for Raoul. Lord Aziel directed his powers at Alliance forces, his fellow Modas Tyrexus and Thelinna destroying large formations of dwarf guards as they rushed in. Mialera directed Naga's, of all things, into attacking wounded night elves. Novaclaw and Kunlokku slashed their way through Alliance response. Pillar of iron forces were cut down, Yrkkh seen cackling madly over their corpses.

It was time to go. Their tasks completed, the horde flew off, their triumphant screams and mocking laughter fading into the distance. The Alliance could only gather to help the wounded, and bury the dead.

((I didn't have the chatlog for this, so I filled in as best I could.))

Rhudran was...gone.

The Horde attack had come fast, then had left just as quickly. It seemed strange to Lahkin, but as more and more Alliance were accounted for and Rhudran was still not among them, it clicked into place.

They had come for something specific. Perhaps...it had been the dwarf.

But why had they taken Rhudran?

And more importantly, who and where?

A familiar voice buzzed, and the paladin jumped and swung around. It took a few moments for him to realize the mischievious not-dragon druid was NOT behind him, but in his pocket. Or rather, her hearthstone was.

Lahkin pulled it out. As if on cue, Novaclaw started babbling happily at him, something about who he was and what he was and how he had found one of them. Erelyn walked up beside him, staring at the talking hearthstone in disbelief.

Lahkin had an idea. "She might know who attacked us, Eri," he said to Erelyn. "I saw her with them."

"That's easy. Abominus did," snapped Mithara from the other side of the room, where she was tending a cranky night elf with long blue hair. The night elf started cursing, and Mithara turned around and cursed right back.

"Who else, I mean. If we know names, we can start tracking them down," Lahkin said. He and Erelyn looked at each other, then looked at the hearthstone. Novaclaw was helpful enough as they took turns weedling information out of her, but she was also...

"She's an airhead," said Erelyn flatly at his shoulder.

"We've got three names and two half-names, at least." Lahkin answered. "Abominus, Raoul, her, someone called 'Tyraxis' from Modas, and a big black druid bear."

Mithara snorted doubtfully, but it was the best he could do. Lahkin called Ronnad over and asked her to contact the AAMS. Using the names, surely they could start an investigation to find out where Rhudran got taken. Maybe they could even negotiate his return through the couriers, too. Sure, the Horde had showed their hostile intent, but that was no reason to be rude to them, was it?

Mithara muttered something about getting drunk and talking to her Forsaken friend Abby, necessarily in that order. Lahkin sighed to himself, staring into space as the clinic wound down. It was his first day as commander and things were already going wrong.

Or maybe they were going right. Lahkin rolled Novaclaw's hearthstone around on his palm, then pocketed it.

(( I don't have a chat logger so bear with me if it's not exact. ))

Promethius casualy exited the Tram. Since he was free on a monday for once, he figured he could go see the clinic. Maybe help as a guard, or perform a cauterisation. Maybe he could...

Bodies of every race litered the area outside the clinic. A small collection of Presidium and other soldiers had gathered in the middle of the corpses and seemed to stare at the area grimly. "What happened here?" Prome asked.

A Worgen with a pair of bloody claw blades looked up at him. "Modas happened. They killed many, took a man prisoner." Harmath growled.

"Then why are we standing here? Which direction did they go?" Promethius asked. He recieved only a few mumbles from the group as a Drenai watchman feverently took notes. "They hit us. They deserve to be hit back." Promethius stated grimly.

"We should attack the crossroads." Gentyl suggested.

The worgen shook his head. "Crossroads is small time. We need to hit something the Modas cares about. They base themselves somewhere under Lorderon." he explained.

"Brill then?" One of the Presidium's riflemen suggested. Prome vaugley remembered the man being refered to as Valacar.

A gnomish mage in the back scratched his chin in thought. "The Sepulcher would be a better plan. Esier target and more likely to have a Modas fellow." Maethi suggested.

Gentyl grined at the idea. "We'll hit them there then." she said before looking at Promethius. "Would you like to come with us?" She asked.

Promethius grined sadisticaly. "I won't be much good against soldiers, but I can level buildings and provide a quick exit. If you don't mind a civilian tag along I'll be happy to go." he said enthusiasticaly.

The group gathered on a hill overlooking the Sepulcher. As they prepared for the assault, a gryphon landed among the crowd, and an elven woman dismounted with a sadistic grin on her face. "Heard you might need help bashing some skulls." Tyrynna said as she drew her bow. Without further words, the group decended on the Sepulcher. Kod and Gentyl used Light and blades equaly as they carved a path through the encampment. Tyr and Valacar shot down anyone that tried to run or raise an alarm. Belhpa kept everyone in good health through the ordeal with his shamanistic abilities. Maethi threw bolts of ice into anything that moved, ocasionaly entombing an oponent in a solid block of ice. Promethius kept to his word, remaining mostly useless against the hardened Deathguard of the camp. He stayeded toward the back of the group and gleefully tossed explosives into anything remotely resembling a building.

The group stood among the ruins of the Sepulcher panting. There was much destruction, but none of it had incited a organised response from the Horde or Modas. There was a general agreement that they needed to hit something bigger. As one they called thier mounts and flew to the Tirisfal zeplin towers.

They landed a bit to the south of the tower as the Orgrimmar zeplin began it's decent towards the dock. "You want to get thier attention?" Promethius said with a grin. "Lets Hijack thier ride." He said as he pointed at the Zeplin. Some laughed, others simply smiled, but all of them charged toward the tower. They battled up the stairs. Promethius couldn't help but laugh as one of the goblin bruisers was sent tumbling from the platform. They boarded the Zeplin with ease. Kod cleaved through one of the Deathguard on board the ship, while Tyr turned the second into an oversized pincushion. Promethius ran up to the captain and pressed his sword against the goblin's neck. "Now I know an enterprising fellow like you took the time to learn common. Would you kindly continue your course to Orgrimmar?" Promethius asked, manifesting a fireball in his free hand to emphasise his request. To his credit, the gonlin took less than a second to nod, and spit flight orders to the rest of the crew.

The Blood Elf checked his watch again, taping his foot on the hard metal of the Orgrimmar zeplin tower. He grumbled something about unreliable greenskins before he finaly noticed the obnoxious purple blimp decending toward the dock. His anger at the crew was quickly replaced by imense shock however, when he noticed the group of grining Alliance soldiers staring at him from the Zeplin's deck.

It took a suprisingly long time for Orgrimmar's citizenry to recognise the commotion above them. The group had several minuets of fun, attempting the capture of a few other Zeplins before falling back to thier original stolen ride and departing for Tirisfal again. They cleared the Deathguard that awated them and put some distance between them and the towers before Promethius opened a portal and the group left for Stormwind.

The group disperesed along thier own paths once they were safely back in Alliance teritory. Most headed to the Recluse for drinks and the oportunity to share thier tale. Promethius smiled to himself as he walked through the mage district. Silently he though, there was nothing quite as satisfying as an evening of retribution.

(( Thanks for leting me come along. That was a hilarious adventure! ))

It seemed like ages since the last time she'd been in Dalaran, but really, it had only been as long as the admittedly unending trip to Storm Peaks. Derscha was glad to be, if not on ground level, at least somewhere that wasn't snowing.

She and Arietha were making their way to A Hero's Welcome for a much-deserved break when the dwarf intercepted them, alighting in front of them on a white gryphon.

Ronnad peered at the duo. "Yer AAMS?"

Derscha looked down at her arm, as if to double check. Yes, they were still in their uniforms.

"Looks like it. Can we help you?"

She pulled out a crumpled parchment sheet. "Lahkin o' Terra Icognita's lookin' fer a meetin' with Tyrexus, Raoul, an' Abominus.'

The night elf pulled out a journal to write the request, while Derscha pondered the ramifications. She sniffed a little at the mention of the Maggot Lord; he did horrible things to white uniforms.

"Do ye think ye can set something' up? On neutral ground o' course. Wouldn' want any accidents."

Arietha looked at Derscha for an answer. With a start, the gnome remembered that Ari hadn't been with AAMS that long, and probably didn't recognize the names.

She slowly nodded to Ronnad. "A small party from each side, only, if you want us there to translate," she stipulated. While she hadn't been part of the AAMS during the Boot Bay incident, she'd heard stories of the disaster.

"Aye, how many?"

"Those three alone is 'bout dangerous enough…"

"Aye, I jes' be doin' my job." Ronnad pulled out a timepiece and grimaces a bit. She peered at Derscha. " 's that all ye need lass? 've another appointment tae keep."

"Five," she answered in her rare "stern" voice. "No more than five from each side allowed."

"Weapons?"

"No weapons."

The dwarf accepted it without objection. "Where an' when?"

"We'll contact you with that information. I can't promise anything right now."

"Thank ye lass. I 'ppreciate it. Good travel tae th' both o' ye."

Arietha smiled. "Thank you for contacting us."

The gryphon rider took off, and Derscha sighed as it disappeared into the cityscape. "Sometimes it's dangerous to be in the AAMS."

Arietha nodded hesitantly.

"Do you know who those people were?"

The night elf shrugged. "I'm pretty sure I've heard some of the names."

"Abominus is crazy. Tyrexeus is threatening Pia Presidium. And Raoul…"

She paused. "Well, I've heard Raoul has a nice hat."

"A... nice hat?"

The gnome shook her head. "Nevermind. It's been a long day. Let's get those drinks."

She just hoped this didn't lead to further trouble.

((...JEEZUS. I work a night shift for one night, ONE NIGHT, and look! xD *claps* Bravo, bravo! If Drake weren't captive and still being tortured when this had all come up, I'd have LOVED to have gotten in on this, in some fashion. Wow...it sounds like you guys had a blast!))

((Things could have gone better for me, I'll have you know.))

((Ah. ^^; Based on the above text and Mialera's thread elsewhere on these same forums, understandable. Terribly sorry, sir.))

Gods, she wanders away for a few minutes to pick up her mail while she waited for Mira and Rhudran to show up and all hell breaks loose.

The clinic was under attack from Modas, Grims and who knew what other abominations. Gentyl spurred Traveller into a gallop across the stone floors of Ironforge toward the sound of battle. His shod hooves were now sliding across those same stones and she bowled over a rotter she didn't recognize. She vaulted off and shoved her way through the fight toward Abominus.

His attack was weakening and at last she dropped him. Tyrexus was lying in a heap of rotten flesh and armor. How many eyes are you admiring today, huh?

Aziel! What the fel. Surely it couldn't be Aziel. He was dead. Permanently dead. She shoved past a worgen fighting another Modas she didn't recognize. Gods, there was another old Modas. They were raising their old dead.

Her eyes flew open in surprise when someone stabbed her in the back and then she stumbled forward. Before she could recover she was surrounded. Valacar fought toward her, but she had fallen. She lay there for a moment, paralyzed, watching the milling feet dancing impossibly slow steps to the waltz de morte.

There was a bell tolling in the distance. The strikes seemed to take forever, but on they rang over and over. She frowned. What time was it? It wasn't a bell. Those were sword strikes.

A shadow consumed her. She saw it advance slowly like ethereal tar and gradually overtake her. Her breath slipped away like a butterfly's whisper and she closed her eyes.

Mira had called her back. Bless her.

Raoul. Drop that rotter before he had a chance to--

She was immediately surrounded again. She heard Harmarth howl in rage. He was trying to get to her.

She lost count of how many times she was pulled back from the brink, but at last they fell back.

Her armor, once bright silver with pale blue stones of enchantment, looked like something she expected to see on a demon in the outlands. It was red. Not the vibrant poppy red she liked, but dark and foreboding. Part of the dried and darkening stains were hers, no doubt. It swirled and mingled with the ichor of undeath and gore until she looked like walking death itself.

She took off her gauntlets and poured out the blood pooled within them. Blood had already caked on her arms, wrists and hands. It cracked like mud in a drying streambed when she moved her fingers.

Her breastplate straps had been cut away, probably after she had fallen. The edges from a gaping stomach wound were still pink and raw. No doubt Abominus had feasted on her liver again. It was too bad Icharis wasn't around. The rotter had once proclaimed Gentyl's blood tasted like fine wine to him. He could have drunk his fill that night.

"Rhudran is gone," Mira whispered.

Gentyl ran through all the nearby buildings searching for him. He was nowhere to be found.

"Come, Genny," Valacar said.

Gentyl laughed. he was new and hadn't quite got the hang of Sepha. She thought years hence he probably still wouldn't. To him, he would always be Genny.

He called his sand drake they flew through Ironforge, searching everywhere. It was true. Rhudran was gone.

They mounted an attack against the Sepulcher, hoping to draw the war party out. When they failed to respond, they moved the attack to Undercity and the zeps. Limited resistance was brought against them. There were a few surprised horde in Orgrimmar. Some fought very well, but they fell eventually. They switched to another zep, hoping to get at least one of the war party to answer and take them captive, but they refused to answer the call.

Belpha, Prom, Tyr, Valacar, Foxria, Kod, Maethi, Harmarth and others answered the call. They all fought bravely and did their best to lay waste, but to no avail. Maethi, bless him. he was a tiny bundle of arcane energy and death and he was always willing to answer the call. Loyal unto death whenever she asked for help.

Tyr had surprised her. She made to secret of her dislike for Pia and yet she had jumped into the war party without hesitation when she heard Rhudran had been taken by the horde. She was a very skilled hunter and wiped out horde so quickly they were often dead before Gentyl could even get to them.

Kod, who had been with them since Ironforge, said he wished to talk to Gentyl.

He was her mentor and friend and she had known him for a very long time.

"It's time," he said simply when they were alone.

"Time for what?"

"It's time to gather knights around you. Bring together a group like the Silver Hand. You're in great danger."

She looked around and spat on the ground. Not a very ladylike motion, but she didn't feel very ladylike tonight. "They've always been after me."

"This is different. I'm offering you my sword as your personal knight. I will be the first."

"I need your sword arm, Kod."

He smiled. "I've offered it to you many times."

"I'm ready to accept it. I'm not sure I need a personal knight, but I need you and your men. Attack the Grims and Modas until they crawl back in their holes. I need a captive and I need them to understand I am not playing with them.

"Rhudran must be returned."

He nodded. "I know how to make war."

"Thank you. I will talk to Imperon and Lia. Feathers has offered an alliance. I will see how far they are willing to go."

"In the meantime, let me send a messenger to them."

"Ahhhh, by the Old Gods that is sweet." The rotting hulk of a bear muttered to himself as he licked at a patch of dried Human blood on his pelt. "I had forgotten how delicious that pious Gentyl tastes."

It was good to be back, and good to be up to the old sport.

He quickly regained his seldom-seen Tauren form and slipped something over his head. "Hey Vinnie, look what I found!" He bellowed as he waddled away, the still dripping face of a Worgen concealing his own.

((Yay for fun stuff, and finally gave me reason to transmog my helm.))

*** Awesome! I just thought to stir up a little fun. It was on Friday, and I had read that gentyl liked to guaard the Alliance Clinic. What could be more fun than a little hit, I thought. I sent some feelrs out, and yesterday, we attacked, only about 10 of us. I did not know of any kidnapping plot, but I will run with it. I won't be available until next week, going to a sci-fi/fantasy convention here in Illinois**

The Maggot Lord emerged from the Grim Maw compound. Guards had been doubled on the gates and the towers leading to the courtyard, as well as the main door intothe cliff side where the new guild fortress had been built after Deathwing's attack. Outside awaiting him was a contingent of Kor'kron guard, led by Aggrash the Axebiter, a guard in from Nagrand in Garrosh's persinal retinue.

"Are you the so-called Maggot Lord?" he sneered, looking at Abominus with contempt. His guards edged slightly away from him, as they had learned to not anger the crazed Forsaken needlessly. "I have a warrant for your detainment and questioning, filthy monster. Seems that you caused some disruption last night to Horde activities with your antics elsewhere. Surrender your weapons, and come with us, now!" He puffed out his chest, belligerence in his every line and bearing, a brown hand tightening on his axe hilt.

Abominus peered about him with interest. He had finished repairing his armor from Gentyl's love taps, and his flesh had reknitted from the many sword blows, axe cuts, arrow holes, and magic blasts he had taken in his assault on the Alliance clinic. He absently reached into a pouch, causing the guards to tighten up with anticipation, and Aggrash to pull out his axe. Withdrawing a chunk of liver, he gobbled a bit of it, then offered some to Aggrash.

"Fresssh liver, Orc-thing, yesss? From a Dwarf, no lessssss, ssso you know it isss highly alcoholic, yesss. The liversss from Dwarf-thingsss, when sssqueezed, produce a liquid that hasss the highessst alcohol content of any known beverage, yesss. Dwarf Liver Sssquuezingsss, yesss!"

Looking disgusted, Aggrash brandished his axe menacingly. "Look, you abomination! You are coming with us to answer for the chaos wreaked last night at the zeppelin towers! No funny business, now! COME ALONG!" Veins bulging in his forehead, Aggrash nervously bit his axeblade. His Orcs backed off, giving their chief room to swing his axe if he entered into a frenzy.

Grim Maw Clan guards began to gather, holding weaponry and muttering amongst themselves. "What did Abominus do now?", "Is that the Axebiter, they let him out of his cage!", "We are out of Red Ridge Stout again", "Be quiet, this may wake up Souleater!", and "No one threatens a Grim Maw!". Weapons were produced, crossbows and guns trained on the Orc guards, and magic types began muttering to themselves.


Through his bluster, Aggrash realized that he and his Orcs could end up dead if he attacked. He lowered his axe, but pointed at Abominus. "Look, your attack, however brave it may have been, has caused personal trouble for Garrosh. His nephew was on one of the zeppelins that was attacked by the Alliance. Did you know they tied him up, painted him purple, and subjected him to gnomish kissing games! The lad will never be the same! And you didn't even ask for permission for your strike! Now come along!"


The Maggot Lord pondered this. He turned to his fellow grims, and handed over his sword. "Be careful with that, yesss. It likesss to imbed itssself in other peoplesss ssspinesss, yesss." A guard gingerly took the sword, which seemed to be made of a long spine that gently undulated on it's own. "We will be back sssoon, yesss. If not, roll the metal barrier over the doorway to the labsss, and releassse the drain plugsss, yesss. The latessst batch of experimental maggotsss may be particularly virulent, yesss."

So saying, Abominus went along peacably with the guards, leaving concern, confusion, and not a small amount of consternation back in the compound.

((Gah, wish I had known that. We're looking for a hostage to exchange for Rhudran. fun stuff. You would have missed me completely if Kod hadn't skyped me saying Abom was looking for Gen.))

((*looks puzzled* Did anyone announce this in the OOC channel? I confess to having a bit of brain fog while I was trying to satisfy dailies for two separate holidays, so I don't remember.))

((This was great. I know Abom and Tyrexus were amused by my running out and back OOCly to grab my PvP gear. I had a blast!))

((I actually had gone offline. Kod messaged me and told me Abominus and crew were in Ironforge looking for me. It happened so fast I don't think anyone thought to announce it in ooc. I certainly didn't as I logged in in the middle of the fight.))

Gentyl finished the messages and forwarded them to an AAMS courier. The people in question would be expecting them. They might not be expecting other things.

((Quite understandable. Like I said, I was kind of brain-foggy anyway; I just thought I was losing my marbles because I didn't hear anything about it.))

((No, it was a surprise hit. The kidnapping had been planned. The hit by abom was a surprise and the two groups joined up. we'll try to announce in allianceooc future hits, but they are often so sudden it's hard to organize.))

No one ever expectsss the Maggot Inquisssition, yesss!

*maggots scurry about wearing red robes and broad brimmed hats, except for Rodriguez, Maggot-At-Large and Diplomat, wearing aviator's goggles given to him by Doctor Wolfe*

** A good day for me will be Monday night sometime after 4 or 5 server. Abominus is currently languishing in Orgrimmar's Jail, being "questioned" **