World of Warcraft®

"Has everyone heard?" Dernes spoke in a quiet voice as he looked to his friends gathered around. The seven of them were gathered around a fire at his house, the sun just barely rising over the high mountains of Mulgore. Each gave a small nod as the hunter's gaze fell on them before returning to the warm and hearty breakfast the tauren had prepared for them.
"What are we doing to do about it?" The warrior asked as he put his plate down. He was fully armored up, as was his wife at his side, and the pair would have made for a menacing sight had they not been family. At the warrior's question, she looked towards Dernes, her keen gaze waiting for the right answer.
Dernes smiled slightly at that and said simply, his deep voice carrying a decisiveness he rarely showed. "What we should have done a long time ago. It's time to take up arms once more."

They all fell silent as they finished their breakfast and Dernes smiled as Teicuih slid her hand over is. News of Northwatch had inevitably reached them, and the tragedy of Theramore had brought reality crashing back to their otherwise peaceful days. Every one of them knew the price of peace, and considered themselves lucky to have been able to enjoy living their own lives relatively free of the outside world. But in their hearts they knew they could no longer stand back, it was time to once more act.

"What of Ysera? The Dream?" Allie asked quietly, looking first to Dernes before looking to his brother. The druid was lying in his feline form, his white fur striking against that of Ehawne's against him. At the question he looked up and slowly shook his head.
"I do not think it is a responsibility we can carry anymore."
Dernes nodded, looking back to the rogue, "I think we are way over due for a change."

"Finally!" The dainty forsaken exclaimed before covering her mouth and apologizing for her outburst. She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Dernes who could only chuckle at her contained excitement. "Please sign here, and here. I will make sure this gets submitted right away."
"... Lady Evisena... Just how long have you had these drawn up?"
"I believe two days after I started taking charge of things. It took some time to find the official form from the Orgrimmar Record Office." She gave him a pointed look and then looked to the paper in his hand, waiting for him to sign.

Dernes looked at the paper in his hand a moment and smiled. Change was that easy, yet it felt like giving up part of their legacy. Still, as he felt everyone's gaze on him, he realized that he was six years too late on this tiny yet significant change. He quickly signed the paper and handed them back, a small grin of this face. They had always been Wardens. It just happened that they were Ysera's at first, but as years grew, so did their responsibilities.

"I guess I really can just call us Wardens now."
"We will need to update a few things, but it should only take a day or two." Evisena explained as she put the notice of name change in her bags.
Dernes nodded and clapped his hands together, "You know what that means then!" He tried not to grin as he caught a groan from the two druids, "We need new colors."
Allie brightened at that, "What about blue? I don't think you've ever done blue?"
Dernes had to think about, "We've been purple and green, white and green... black and green... brown. There was that one pink kitty incident... I think we had a blue lobster once?"
"That hardly counts." Ahurs grunted as he recalled the hideous tabard.
"What about red?"
"Aren't we reddish now?"
"Mr. Dernes, that is hardly a red color. It is maroon."
"Of course... You know what ladies, I leave it in your capable hands."
Allie could not help the big grin as she turned to Evisena and nodded, "I'm sure we can come up with something."

"A new name, new colors..."
"A fresh start."
"Speaking of fresh starts..." Pyrak grinned, a look all knew to fear by now, "I'm sure you've all noticed the newcomers..."

Dernes smiled, that broad warm smile he always seemed to have when thoughts went towards celebrations. "You're right. And it's always important to welcome newcomers isn't it?"
"And when would you like to host this?" Lady Evisena held a small ledger and patiently waited for the tauren to make up his mind.
"Well... so far I've gathered that they are coming from some ways... so plenty of time... how about... a month from now?"
"Anything more specific?"
"Tanaris?"
She sighed and jotted down some notes, "Of course. I will get letters out soon."
"You know it will be fun!"
"A party by the beach with drinks and food in excess as a welcome to the Horde? Yes, I'm sure it will be." Yet even for her tone, she could not help but smile as the tauren started laughing, that booming silly laugh that was so infectuous.

"So then, Wardens. First we get our new colors, and then we get to work."
Allie held up her plate, "If you want us to go protect the whole world, I'm going to need a bigger breakfast."
"That I can definitely do."
"Just us against the world..." Pyrak snickered as he settled back as comfortably as he could, "You sure make things a challenge."
"Well eventually, we are bound to run into someone who wants to help out?"
"Just feed them each day and you'll get yourself an army." Ahurs said with a soft chuff that had everyone look to him in surprise.
"Stranger things have happened..."

"Speaking of... strange. Aren't we due for some other bash where random ghosts tend to return?" Pyrak smirked at the looks he received, "I mean... it is getting to that time of year. And you know the ghosts are getting restless."
"Last I knew, Zeb wasn't a ghost..." Dernes said, though part of him did wonder.
"Then it'll be interesting to see who shows up this time."
"I will prepare flyers for the Hallow's Eve... what is it? Bash? Masquerade? Ball?" Evisena looked to Dernes for an answer once more and the tauren took his time answering, his fingers running through his beard.
"Masquerade. It was always a masquerade, and it returns as one!"
"All invited, even the ghosts?"
"Well of course!"
"And tell me Mr. Proudhorn, how will you pay for all these parties?"

"Didn't ya hear? The Wardens are going to work!" Dernes grinned brightly and she could only shake her head with a sigh.

*****************

OOC: Yes, after so many years, the <Wardens of Ysera> are no more. We are now simply <The Wardens>.

And yes, you read right, the Hallow's Eve Masquerade is coming back! Details should be coming soon!

Finally, to celebrate the pandarens and the expansion, we will be throwing a beach party / welcome party sometime mid-october, to give everyone time to play with the new expansion!

Look for information coming soon, or just poke a Warden about it

*Reojoices* Join the Wardens or Die, yessss!

...Wait. I'm not Abominus.

Ahem.

*sips tea* Do think about joining the Wardens, hm?

Join the wardensss or Die, yesss!

Hooray for Wardens!

*Grabs a mug of ale, plopping down and humming to himself*

Jus' bloody join th' Wardens, already.

Good lotta folk.

I remember y'all from the good ol' days.

You won't regret joining these folk. Do eet!

((*hugs* Nice.))

((I like the sound of this. I have a shaman who would fit but didn't want to serve any dragons. They use mortals for their own ends:P))

Thanks folks!! The support is much appreciated!

And ya'll would be proud (shocked?) to know that I have finally picked dates and locations for the Beach Party and Hallow's Eve Masquerade, this far in advance!

Evisena paced back and forth across the expanse of her small lodging upon the Elder Rise of Thunder Bluff, "I swear I don't know what that man is thinking most of the time. Two parties within such a short time of one another. Two!" She came to an abrupt halt causing the guild page to stumble into her back, she spun quickly enough that it sent him back peddling and landing on his rear. Placing her hands on her hips she stared down at him, "What did Dernes say your name was boy?" The little orc just stared up at the forsaken, seemingly mute as she continued, "Gork? Grut? Not fitting names at all if you ask me. I shall call you," she tapped a claw delicately to her chin, "Ferdinand!"

With a nod she resumed her pacing, "Now then, the streamers are being made, balloons have been ordered, I need to send a letter to Mrs. Allie to see if she'll make the fireworks." She flounced out her skirts and took a seat at a small writing desk, pen and parchment at hand, "Mr. Dernes I'm sure can handle the untold amount of alcoholic beverages he'll consume, but I'll need to remind him to bring more for everyone else. Of course we'll need food, maybe those poor dears that got stuck with the duty of the Cauldron will send some along."

She folded up the missives and turned to the guild page, "I suppose you are to young yet to act as a delivery boy. Very well then off we go!" She stood and made her way off of the Bluffs a good distance before summoning her voidwalker, "Thok, you'll deliver these to Mr. Dernes, Mrs. Allie and Mr. Dakeyres. Deliver to Mr. Dernes last please as you will need to stay until he sends back the notice for his parties. I won't do all the work for him." The voidwalker gave a sigh and slipped from sight carrying off the letters.

Evisena clapped her hands together in delight, "There, my task is done for the day. We shall retire back to my home for a spot of tea and we will start working on your etiquette manners then Ferdinand." The guild page barely managed to nod as he followed her back to the house.

((/pokes Dernes. Hard. Get to work!))

The Tauren was conveniently taking a nap under a large tree when he felt something poking him hard on his shoulder. With a childish grunt and a mumbled 'later', he dismissed the insistent poking and tried to go back to sleep. Undeterred by his rather typical behavior, Nightshade sat as close as he could to Dernes and considered the hunter a moment before letting out a bellowing roar.

That was more than enough to make the hunter jump and cover his ears. Dernes turned to glare at a rather smug looking Nightshade when he caught sight of a voidwalker hovering in front of him. "Oh. Hi there..." He blinked as the voidwalker held out a letter and quickly read through it. By the time Dernes was done reading, he winced and chuckled awkwardly. "Alright alright, let me write up something for the parties. First though!"

He lumbered to his feet and went inside the house, scavenging about for a little while before coming back out carrying a set of large maps and some fresh parchment paper. "Now then! Where should we host it..."

Dernes carefully went through various maps, all depicting Tanaris at different times during the past few years. He finally found the latest map, showing the encroaching water and the multitude of small patches of sand that were now scattered across Tanaris. "Let's see... this place is out of the question... I don't want to host it too close to Gadgetzan, who knows what the goblins will say... Giants... giants... pirates..." He paused a moment, "Oh, this will do nicely!"

With a great big grin the hunter penned out a simple flyer, rolled it up and handed it to the voidwalker, "This is for the beach party. I promise to write something up for the hallow's eve party tomorrow! I need to think up something good for that one..."

The voidwalker sighed, or shrugged really, and left. As soon as he was gone, Dernes turned his gaze on Nightshade with a grin that only meant trouble, "Now then. How shall I pay you back for that little roar..."

(( the beach party flyer is here: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/6679558077#1 ))