World of Warcraft®

The air was dry today in the Valley of Honor.
A light gust of wind carried a small whirl of dust along the path leading to the last guard tower.

Sitting on the bank near the waters edge, Drunhilde continued to fish. The open pack beside her was on the verge of overflowing again. Drunhilde spent most of her days like this as of late. Visiting now and again with friends. Even taking the occasional trip to Dalaran to make armor for those who needed it.
Though Dru had never had anyone be cross with her about being there, the guards still would not allow her to use their forge, or have use of their taverns.

She didn't mind the mistrust; as the people of Orgrimmar still seemed nice to her. And with several incidents leading towards her moving there, she hadn't regretted it yet.
If only she could learn more of the horde language! It seemed like the only ones to talk with her were the same goblins that catered to Azeroth's holidays.

It was on this particular day that the goblin from winter's veil, Guchie Jinglepocket stopped by Dru's fishing spot to tell her about Theramore. On hearing the news, she thought maybe Guchie heard wrong? But, when are the goblins from smokywood pastures ever wrong?
Dru's dark sapphire blue eyes started leaking with tears. 'Is Jaina alive? And all those people suddenly gone.. never to be..'

As Dru wiped at her tears, she found herself alone once more. Guchie Jinglepocket had beat a hasty retreat from the crying dwarf.

Sneaking into Orgrimmar had been harder this time, as the guards seemed more alert than usual. Making her way down the drag, she occasionally stopped to simply watch the horde in their daily activities. It was a lot like watching the people of Stormwind doing the same things..

Finally reaching the bank of the stream in Valley of Honor, Niffarious appeared near Drunhilde. The dwarven priest immediately screamed, "I told ye, I dun't like ye.. or want ta leave with ye!! There's nuthin' back there fer me, an... an... Guards!!"

Vanishing quickly into the dust that seemed to blow through Orgrimmar, Niffarious disappeared. Now what do I do with Sizzle's note?

As she looked around she saw Guchie Jinglepocket sipping on a Kaja'cola. She shivered inwardly at the thought of dealing with goblins, but this was important enough for the trip here. Niffarious appeared behind the cactus nearest Guchie. Her voice almost a breeze, whispered to the goblin, "Don't yell.. dagger at your back, just listen." Guchie stopped in mid-drink silently nodded.

Niffarious smiled, "I have a letter that needs to be delivered to the dwarf priest; I will leave it pinned to the cactus for you along with a small bag of gold for your trouble. Just take a sip of your drink if you understand and agree."

Guchie swallowed a little, before raising the Kaja'cola to her lips. Taking a sip, Guchie's eyes were certainly brighter at thought of gold.

The agreement struck, Niffarious held up her part of the deal. Soon to disappear once more, as if never there.

Laurra grabbed her tool box from the bank in the Valley of Honor. She walked the path to her work bench, the same path she walked almost daily. She crossed the bridge towards the Auction House and noticed new the ‘residents’.

Normally she could just walk her way to the anvil, but these Pandarans were rather distracting as they sparred with each other to the left of Laurra as she tried to walk by.

Laurra muttered to herself as she lugged her tool box to her work bench. The weight of it had grown substantially as she continued to create new materials for her favourite thing...explosives.

Ice snorted to Laurra as they made their way passed the Jewelcrafters hut. He knew where they were going, and knew he’d have to sit patiently and wait for her to perfect her creations.

Laurra noticed how busy the Burning Anvil hut was as she arrived. She sighed as she pulled out her tool box and set up her work area beside Shayis Steelfury, an Orc who taught blacksmithing to those who bothered with that sort of thing.

“Go get yourself comfortable, Ice,” Laurra gestured to her companion to park his large turtle body away from the work area. She began looking at her materials to determine what she should make first.

Ice slowly walked over to the body of water that flows within the Valley of Honor. He peered into the water and watched the muddy crawfish walk around aimlessly. With a quiet snort, Ice sat himself down and looked around to see…a dwarf?

Drunhilde looked at the water, her fishing pole simply laying upon her lap. The nerve of that rogue!
It hadn't been the first time she'd seen Niffarious. The first time, the rogue thought to kidnap her from her new home!
If it hadn't been for her screams to the nearby guards the rogue might have succeeded in dragging her back to Stormwind..

Guchie jinglepocket looked at the note after pocketing the gold.
As her eyes scanned the note she could only murmer under her breath, "Interesting.. Interesting indeed.."
Walking toward the dwarf, Guchie looked to the now fuming dwarf as she thought to herself - at least she stopped crying. Looking to Drunhilde, Guchie exclaimed, "Greetings friend! I've got a scroll for ya, all the way from Stormwind."

Drunhilde looked up a bit confused. "Who would be sending me a scroll?"

Guchie watched as Drunhilde took the scroll, thinking job is done.. maybe time for another Kaja'cola.. wait.. she's handing it back?!
Dru looked to the goblin with a frown replying, "I dun't think I kin help. If it were armor, I coulda make it. But, maybe they jist need ta send this ta an engineer? I kinnae make bombs."
Guchie thought for a moment as she rubbed her hands together, "Maybe if I had some thinking gold, I could find a way to help you."
Drunhilde's eyes widened, "Ye kin do that fer me?.. Yer sucha helpful lass!", producing a few gold, "Do ye think this might be 'nuff?"

In the blink of an eye Guchie had not only snatched the gold from Dru's hand but had pocketed it. "Certainly, what are friends for? You know I just might know the right person for this."
Guchie rubbed her hands together with glee, "See.. the gold thinking is working already!", her eyes dart across the stream towards the blacksmith's anvil seeing Laurra.
Almost walking away she stops, her hand touching her forehead, "You know, I might need a bit more thinking gold.. the name's fading, though I think I recognize her.."
Drunhilde gasps at Guchie, producing another handful of gold coin. "Here! Take it, dun't ferget tha name Guchie!"
Guchie smiled, in one smooth movement she added the gold to her growing coin purse. "Ah. Laurra, she's a really good engineer from what I have heard."

Drunhilde watched as Guchie walked to the blacksmith's hut as she thanked the light for such good friends to be found.

The sparks from hot metal flew about the air from striking hammers. The temperature inside stiffling.
Guchie jinglepocket walked into the hot blacksmith's hut, instantly thinking that she should be compensated for walking into such hot place.

With a beckoning finger she gestured for Laurra to come back into the almost cooler air of Orgrimmar with her. Holding the scrolled note in a raised hand she looked up to the blood elf, "Greetings friend! Do I have a deal for you!"

Laurra turned from her work and looked at Guchie, confused. “Excuse me?” Laurra asked, taking note of the scroll in Guchie’s hand.

Guchie cleared her throat, “Do I have a deal for you!”

Laurra narrowed her eyes looking at the goblin, “No thanks, I know all about deals from goblins.” Laurra turned her back to Guchie to continue preparing the materials for her latest explosion.

Guchie scratched her head and wondered how she could get this scroll delivered. She did not want any more problems from that rogue and for all she knew, the rogue could be watching her to make sure it was delivered.

Having grown particularly fond of her own neck, Guchie tried a different approach. “Miss Laurra, I have this deal…uh..delivery for you! It comes from a human rogue! All I require is a low, one time delivery payment for my fast, efficient service!”

Laurra turned back around, “Human? Who would leave a note for me?” She became curious and took the scroll from the goblin. “I trust the rogue has already paid you for your service,” said Laurra, raising one eyebrow.

“Uh, for delivery of the scroll specifically to you? Nope!” Guchie was not technically lying. Laurra sighed and reached into her pocket to produce a gold coin, “Take this then, for your troubles.” Guchie eagerly grabbed the coin and walked out of the hot blacksmith’s hut.

Laurra thought a note from a human was probably best read elsewhere. She finished making her bolts and packed up her tool box. She made her way outside where she was met by her companion Ice. She looked around for a safe place to read the note. She slipped, unseen, behind the forge outside of the hut and walked behind the building.

“This should be safe enough…keep watch while I read this Ice,” said Laurra. Ice stood at the end of the building, blocking the way through from the outdoor forge. Laurra unfurled the scroll and read:

Drunhilde,

You don’t know me, but I have heard stories about you…the dwarf living in Orgrimmar. My name is Sizzle, and I am a gnomish tinkerer living within Stormwind.
Because you are living in Orgrimmar, I am hoping you have contacts within its walls for a certain technology I need assistance with. I heard your name through your acquaintance Niffarious and she agreed to deliver this note to you in hopes you could find someone who could make mana bombs.
Below is a rough sketch for the dimensions needed. You and the engineer will be compensated for your troubles. This is a personal request for a personal project. I am interested in the preparation of this technology and wish to study them for my own knowledge. I have studied one but was unable to stay as long as I needed to completely understand the technology behind it.
If you are able to do this, please send word with Niffarious, as she has agreed to provide communication between us.
Many thanks,
Sizzle
Laurra knew how to make mana bombs and was curious as to why a gnomish ‘tinkerer’ would require this technology. Laurra placed the note in her tool box and called back her companion. “Ice…there is apparently a dwarf living within these walls looking for us to provide an explosive treat,” Laurra smirked a little at the thought. Ice snorted and began walking towards the body of water that ran through the Valley of Honor.

“Ice, lets go this way instead, I need some drink to think about this request,” Laurra gestured towards the path leading back opposite the direction Ice was walking. Ice continued to walk towards the body of water and sat at the bank where he had seen the dwarf fishing earlier.

Laurra muttered under her breath and walked over to Ice. “This way Ice, I ne—,” Laurra stopped midway through her sentence as she noticed a small body across the stream fishing. It wore the robes of a blood elf but was most definitely not. Could that be a dwarf? A dwarf fishing in Orgrimmar? Had the guards missed her?

Laurra stood and stared at her, wondering if this was the dwarf mentioned in her note. She decided to fish for a while and watch her as she contemplated the request. Work had been slow lately and compensation would be a welcome solution to her dwindling supply of buyers. But work for a gnomish tinkerer? Laurra would have to think hard on this…

As Drunhilde watched Guchie go into the blacksmith's hut, she turned her attention back to her fishing pole. The arrid heat and dust seemed to make her fishing line brittle.
But most of all.. Dru was still lonely. With a small sigh she looked to her pack, maybe not all the horde wanted to roast her singing sunflower? And it would be just for a little while..

She released the singing sunflower from its confines of her pack. Its overly cheerful face almost glowed in the heat of orgrimmar.

Dru could still remember when the cathedral told her to take up gardening to help her in times of doubt. Watering the seed daily, she was told to make sure it had lots of light; As plants needed light to grow. No one had told her the key phrase 'sunlight'.. as Drunhilde showered it with 'the light' multiple times a day. What grew instead of a simple flower was now this..

With petals raised it instantly began singing loudly, its leaves moved back and forth with a dance at being let loose. A soft rustling of its roots, the flower paraded in a circles as Dru sat on the bank.

Drunhilde now began removing the line from the fishing reel, as she sung cheerfully along with the flower.
Oblivious to seeing the blood elf that appeared near the opposite bank; Dru carefully rolled up the tangled line into a ball, setting it inside her pack. After all, she didn't want to litter.. it might make her unwelcome to continue staying at her new home!

A pair of guards standing near one of the gates groaned at the earful, "Loa! My ear's mon! Make it stop.."
The guard's partner replied, "Might be good raptor food, maybe, still good bait for catching alliance scum if they sneak in."

Taking out a fresh roll of fishing line she saw Laurra fishing across from her.
Instantly forgetting that along with not being able to understand horde language; and that not all horde could understand dwarven. Drunhilde bounced up from her spot on the bank, a bright smile appearing as she looked to Laurra, "Well hello there! I'm Drunhilde, tis grand ta meet ya!"

Laurra hears the dwarven tongue and recognizes what she believes is ‘Drunhilde’, the name on the scroll. In order to stop the dwarf from bringing any more attention to herself, Laurra quickly makes her way to Drunhilde.

Laurra pulls the scroll out of the tool box and sees that Drunhilde recognizes it. Laurra gestures for her to wait and then looks down at the singing flower. Sighing heavily, Laurra raises an eyebrow and shakes her head hoping to suggest for her to hush her flora.

“Ice, stay here and make sure she doesn’t go anywhere,” Laurra motioned for her companion to wait near the dwarf. Ice snorted, annoyed he had to stay and listen to the singing flower.

Laurra quickly made her way to the blacksmithing hut and opened her tool box. “The compensation will be nice…and ridding Orgrimmar of that horrid singing flower is an added bonus,” she thought to herself.

Laurra fashioned together the mana bombs per the dimensions on the schematics from Sizzle. She thought they were a bit small but didn’t deviate from the specs. She packed them in a large brown sack along with the original scroll.

The blood elf quickly made her way back over to Drunhilde and Ice. She could see Ice was not amused when she returned. “Sorry Ice, I hurried as best I could,” Laurra looked apologetic.

Laurra nodded to Drunhilde and placed the large brown sack before her. She looked at the singing flower and sighed. She was sure she made the right decision, hoping the flower would be leaving to Stormwind soon, with the mana bombs.

Seeing that Laurra had the note she had given Guchie, she smiled brightly.
Drunhilde finished replacing the line in the reel as she exclaimed, "I'm glad tha yer goin' ta help tha lass with 'er studies. Tis such a grand thang ta learn more 'o yer professions."
The fishing pole was once again in working order as Dru cast her line out into the stream once more. The singing sunflower rustling now and then as it continued to sing.

Seeing Laurra shake her head towards the singing sunflower, Drunhilde quietly shooed the flower back into her pack. The Valley of Honor quiet with the normal sounds of the horde milling about once more.

She started to appologize, but heard Laurra speak to her pet briefly before turning on her heel to leave. Dru sighed softly as she clutched the fishing pole, thinking that Laurra was unhappy with her.
Sitting down on the bank she looked at the water in silence, as she thought.. even here, where most are nice she still felt so alone.

Looking to Ice she commented softly, "At least yer still will'n ta visit with me."
Ice snorted, keeping distance between the dwarf but continuing to watch as requested. Opening her pack she looked for an ale, noticing to her surprise that she had only 12 left!
Already she felt parched as she opened one of the bottles of ale.. a muffled flower continuing to sing from within.

It wasn't long before Laurra returned with a large brown sack. Laurra spoke with Ice and then placed the large brown sack before Dru.

Drunhilde's pack suddenly popped open as the singing sunflower shoved its head out cheerfully. "Oh my!.." she exclaimed, as she gently pushed the flower back inside, "I thought tha pack was closed.."
As Dru secured the pack she thought to herself.. She would have to return to Stormwind to deliver this, as she doubted the rogue would return.

Picking up the large brown sack, she smiled to Laurra. "It may take me a day or so ta locate 'er, but I'll get this delivered."

With a whistle, a griffon swooped down from the cliffs landing beside Drunhilde. Hopping astride her mount she secured the large brown bag. And with a flap of wings the griffon rose swiftly up and out of Orgrimmar.

Laurra watched as Drunhilde flew out of Orgrimmar. She was thankful the singing flower had left with her. She knew the journey would be long for the dwarf but that was not her concern. She realized she now had no way of being compensated with the dwarf gone. She would need to find Guchie and ensure compensation was paid if not by this 'Sizzle', then by Guchie herself.

"We can just keep checking back at that spot Ice," she said to her companion. Ice snorted in response. She walked by almost daily, perhaps someone would appear. Laurra shrugged a bit and decided to go back to the hot blacksmithing hut to finish her project

Sizzle put the large brown sack in her secure deposit box. She would now need to make her way to Orgrimmar to repay the goblin engineer for their work. She packed her bag with a sack of coins to pay the explosives expert, her cloaking device to help her get into the horde town, orb of deception, and a flask of wine. With the name ‘Guchie’ mentioned to her as a point of contact, Sizzle left Stormwind to make the long journey.

***

Upon arriving, Sizzle applied her cloaking device and snuck in to Orgrimmar to the spot Drunhilde had explained. She saw a goblin in the red and purple robe as described. Sizzle used her orb of deception to make her appearance that of a blood elf. She walked up to Guchie and asked for the name of the engineer.

“Well,” said Guchie, “My memory seems a little…light right now.” Sizzle remembered what Dru had said about thinking gold and handed Guchie a few gold coins to see if it would help her remember. “Hmmm, oh yes NOW I remember! Her name is Laurra, she’s right over there,” Guchie pointed over to the blacksmithing hut.

Sizzle applied the cloaking device again and quickly made her way over to the blacksmithing hut. She looked around and saw they were alone apart from a large fiery turtle. She removed the cloaking device and stood in front of Laurra. She showed her the original request letter and handed her the sack of coins. Laurra nodded her head in understanding and looked in the sack. She smiled and put the sack in her toolbox then returned to her work.

Sizzle quickly reapplied her cloaking device and ran quickly out of the city. She rode her chopper to a clearing where she pulled over to the side of the road and sat down. Her heart was racing from the day’s activity. She pulled out her flask and drank her wine. All she needed to do now was deliver her mechanical device to her client.

((Awesome!! I was wondering how you were going to get Laurra paid.))

(( /wink :) ))