World of Warcraft®

The huntress carefully folded up the parchment and put it next to her. The next letter was going to Professor Vernim Wormwood. Coriani was alright that he had referred the scrying to Archmagus. That being said, she was glad that he was willing to help out even if was with his various network of contacts that she could meet with. She had no idea where Failiani was on Azeroth after all; perhaps one of his contacts had seen her.

Due to her cousin’s skills, she didn’t think Failiani would even know how to get to Pandaria or even would go there (Failiani may have had fear or distrust of Pandarens from what she had learned in her search). She rubbed her eyes before writing this letter that read;

Greetings Professor Vernim Wormwood,

I apologize for taking a while to get back to you. I managed to get myself stuck inside of Alliance territory with an unconscious pet. I did send a letter to Magister Raoul Zharikov and I believe he’ll help in the scrying part as long as I get him my cousin’s belongings and a vial of blood.

That being said, I’m still interested in having a meeting with you. The more aid I can get in the search for my cousin, the better. I’m hesitant to have a meeting at the moment due to my location but I should be able to get out of this situation soon, someone who has said they are sending an agent to help me out. I wouldn’t mind setting up a face to face meeting with you either in Thunder Bluff or Ratchet. I can let you know the exact location once I’m out of Ashenvale.

I hope I’m able to meet with you soon. Fare you well.

~Coriani Arrowind

((continued.))

She folded this parchment note up and placed it next to her before starting to work on the last note. The huntress sighed as she removed a Bloodthistle pedal from the parchment and attempted to wipe any pedal fragments off of it. While she didn’t see any of the herb’s fragments on the paper, it did seem to have strong smell of Bloodthistle. Cori was going to have to use it though as she only had a few more left and possibly needed to save them.

Anyways, this note was being addressed to another member of the Da Doctas, Sidonwy. What was she writing to the Sin'dorei? The huntress was going to ask if the elf could keep an eye for that goblin that sold the tainted mountain trout in travels or at the clinic. Coriani sighed before writing the last note that read;

Greetings Sidonwy,

I hope you are doing well. I’m wondering if you can do a favor for me. Is it possible that you or someone else keep an eye out for a female goblin traveling tradesman that has short blue hair, light green skin, and piercings? This goblin has a supply of mountain trout that is supposedly from a ‘reputable vendor’. I bought the fish for my lynx and turns out it was tainted with a magical effect.

Said effect has knocked out TigerCat well over a week ago and is keeping him unconscious currently. If I was able, I’d bring my pet to the clinic but unfortunately I can’t pick him up and currently stranded in Ashenvale. Don’t worry; someone has said they are sending an agent to help me out soon.

If you should see this goblin, can you let me know by mail or person if I should see you soon? I would be appreciative of this.

~Coriani

Post note: I apologize if the parchment has the scent of Bloodthistle; it’s all I have on me at the moment. Also, The tainted fish has also turned into a disgusting dark brown if you're wondering about that. I may be able to send it if a Da Doctas members wishes to take a look at it and find out what the tainted effect is.

((Continued below.))

Coriani carefully folded up the parchment paper and put it next. She quickly got out her mailbox and waited for it to warm up. Once it was ready, the elf put the letters one at a time until she made sure all of them were mailed. Right when she was about to put the portable device away, she looked inside and noticed there was a letter inside, addressed for her. Cori grabbed the letter out of it and put it next to her before glancing inside of the mailbox just to make sure it was clear.

A few minutes later after she had put away the mailbox, she unfolded the letter and shook her head when she realized it was an advertisement. What was it for? Simple, it was a goblin by the name of Qixilixa trying to sell ‘all natural’ Bloodthistle. The huntress bought the herbs from a Sin’dorei vendor in Eversong Woods and had enough on her at the moment to last a while. Besides, Coriani figured the Bloodthistle had a chance of being tainted or preserved with something based on the words, ‘all natural’ were used. She wasn’t going to buy the herbs from this goblin.

The blood elf’s thoughts drifted to her lynx as she glanced at TigerCat. It was about time for her to do another check up on him. Something she needed to do until she got him some aid. Coriani about to mumble the mending spells on her pet when her ears twitched at the sound of droplets hitting the outside of the shelter. She looked out and noticed it was raining.

It seems it had been raining off and on past few days. Cori didn’t mind the rain if she had a tracking down something or had the hood to cover her head. But being injured and stuck in one spot with a potion induced sleeping pet was a different story. Luckily, the shelter kept most of the rain out. Occasionally droplets would get though and soak the huntress, mainly when she was eating or taking a small nap. She didn’t know how much sleep she had gotten since she had landed but she figured it wasn’t much.

A yawn managed to escape as she started to mumble the mending spells. She was tired and her left ankle was sore but she needed to do this check up on TigerCat. The huntress feared her pet could get rapidly worse if she didn’t do it every few hours. Coriani did need to take a nap herself but it’d have to wait; her pet needed more aid at the moment.

However. exhaustion was catching up to the huntress while she was mumbling the mending spells. She yawned and suddenly noticed she was starting to feel lightheaded and her vision was blurry. Coriani started to panic as she realize she could pass out unconscious. She couldn't pass out now, her pet needed her. Unfortunately for the red haired blood elf, she fainted and collapsed next to her sleeping pet several seconds later.

((I apologize for the delay in posting the letters, I've been feeling crummy off and on. I decided to edit to hopefully make it easier to read. For those involved, feel free to take as long as you wish to respond. In game responses are fine, too.

Coriani is still stuck in Ashenvale but I'll see about getting her out this week. I'll try to be online in game in the late afternoon (4 to 5 pm server.) on either Coriani, Failiani or Qixilixa if anyone involved wants to talk. I did send a battle.net invite (I forgot to send an ooc note though) if your still interested in the RP plot Kyalin.))

Vernim sat down rather daintily on the ancient wooden chair behind his campus desk; he immediately began shuffling through the papers in his 'in-box'.

"Junk." he said aloud, setting a paper to the side, "Trash" another.

"Save fifteen percent on mechano-hog insurance?" reading the header of a letter aloud, "Goblins!" he scoffed, setting the letter in the newly appointed junk pile.

"What do we..." he carefully examined the letter from Coriani, "...have, here." He audibly punctuated each word before allowing Sir Williams, his floating, eye-ball companion to carefully singe the letter open. "Excellent work Sir Williams."

Vernim unfolded the parchment and read the letter. "Yes, yes. Ashenvale. Stuck. Zharikov. I see. Thunderbluff. Hmm. Quite interesting."

"Sir Charles," vernim said, calling out to his snake companion, "Be on the ready, will you?"

The serpent slithered its way up vernim's leg and onto the desk to form a coil, ready to perform his task, eagerly watching the Professor writing his return letter.

----------------
Miss Arrowind,

I have received your letter in good health, and wish the same health unto you and your feline companion. Res assured that my contacts will be available to you once you have relocated yourself into safer territory.

Also, on the matter of your relocation, I will contact Magister Zharikov on your behalf and attempt to persuade him to convene a small council of Magi. It is through this council that I hope we can assist you in your safe passage out of Ashenvale.

If this council would be against your wishes, please indicate so in a return letter.

Sincerely,
Professor Wormwood

((I'll see about having IC responses in a bit (either forum or in-game depending on the length). Coriani is still stuck in Ashenvale but I'm planning on getting her out early next week at the latest.

Another note, I'm going to be out of town (as long as my health doesn't flare up really bad) between May 18-25 (family vacation) and not sure if I'll have access to a computer during that time. I'll see what I can do in-game before I leave. Once back from it, I'll be able to continue the story forward.))

Coriani Arrowind,

That is quite alright. It is good that you will soon be extracted, though do let me know if that falls through and you need aid. That said, merely alert me to when you are safely in Horde territory again, and we can find a good time and place to meet and conduct our rituals.

The letters should prove useful - if they can't show us her current position, at the very least, they can show us where she was when she wrote them. The joys of psychometry, and all. At the very least, your blood can enable us to empower the ritual and amplify the results some, allowing us to narrow down the search just a tad. Hopefully the possessions are enough to pinpoint her location, though we shall see.

Alliance sounds more likely, based on her viewpoints, though that matters little to those only interested in gold, I suppose. How old is your cousin, might I inquire? I can only gather that she rather doesn't want to be found and retrieved back to Silvermoon, if she ran off to strike out on her own. Not that I can advise her on a life of piracy, all things considered. Silvermoon is not kind when it comes to punishing those that violate their laws.

In either case, good luck until we can meet again. I await for your contact upon that point in time.

-Archmagus Raoul Zharikov

PS. You may wish to lay off the bloodthistle just a tad.

Sidonwy trails back onto campus just before she is due on watch. She's taken the time, stopping in a favorite wooded hollow in the Barrens, to wash and brush and polish, doing everything she can to appear fit and ready for duty, though there is still a chance sharp eyes might spot the darkness bagging under her eyes or the frequent jittering of her hands.

Pausing to check for mail, Sid's face closes woodenly at the scent of bloodthistle drifting out of her mailbox. Slowly, mechanically, she reaches for the letter, turning away to read it, leaving her mailbox open.

Moments later, Sidonwy barges into the admin office, letter crumpled in hand, and leans over the desk, rummaging for a blank sheet of parchment, pen and ink. She meets the angry Orcish administrator's complaints with few words and an imperious, dismissive wave.

Jogging to her post, she's in place for the change of watch, though barely. She'll pen her reply in snatches over the shift, and send it to be mailed at shift's end..

Greetings, Coriani,

I am sorry to hear that TigerCat has fallen victim of such an attack. I'm glad to hear that an agent is being sent to help you, but I'd further suggest that someone with appropriate gifts or a detailed knowledge of alchemy might be of aid to him, making your removal from Ashenvale far simpler. While it's true that the Alliance may have spies that monitor general hearthstone communications, it may be worth the risk to you to arrange such a meeting. A mage of sufficient strength might also be able to expedite your return to safety, even if TigerCat isn't ambulatory.

While the description is somewhat broad, there was a goblin meeting it who came to a previous clinic. I'll ask the clinic staff to keep an eye out for her in the future. I have little information on her now, but I'll see what may be gleaned, should she return. I imagine it would go a long way to know if this was a personal attack, due to business of your House, or more general malice, or ineptitude.

Such a strong, persistent yet nonfatal effect on TigerCat, and the way the uneaten fish deteriorated may reveal the source of the taint, though I must confess my ignorance. If you can retain the uneaten fish, it may be possible to get it analyzed.

Keep your wits about you!
~Sidonwy

Alacade Graves stalked through a brief copse of ancient oaks, each armored step clanking errantly through the forest. Ribbons of steam and pale smoke slithered from the joints in his black and purple plate, marking his progress through Ashenvale like the wispy tail of some slow, deliberate comet. As he reached out to steady himself against the oppressive brush, the leaves and bark peeled away and withered. The Forsaken man frowned grimly beneath his horn-and-skull shaped helmet.

Al was a farmer in a former life, of that little he was certain. Times like this, bumping around gracelessly in the field, the tattered cloak of memory would settle on his dead shoulders; a cold cheek against a warm cow's flank before dawn, sore shoulders and back and the satisfaction of a full day's work, nimble fingers plucking tiny weeds from a prized flowerbed.

Now everything he touched just withered and died.

Movement and sound from miles away stole the Death Knight's remorseful thoughts. One of the scouts was misdirecting a Sentinel away and to the north, as planned. Though far away, Al could feel and see the scene playing out in the very back of his mind, just as he knew the others would be observing his. Of the many things he had been forced to grow accustomed to, the 'mind-link' that Inquisitor Bloodwing employed was the most jarring.

It made for some colorful insights, and there was no limit to the strategies of a small army that could turn and dive as collected as a school of dead, foul fish. But Alacade Graves longed briefly for the seclusion of his dying garden back in Lordaeron, and a time when such things as scouts and knights and shadowy psychic tethers would have no use.

Crossing a southward brook, Alacade twisted and pressed his way through the lush bushes, startling a pair of squirrels who wound up a nearby tree to chitter angrily at the disturbance. He was lurching closer still to his destination, a small campsite ruled by a nervous huntress and her convalescing feline. The Inquisitor was quite clear in the details of this operation: redirect all other forces, collect the huntress, and cover her retreat to Horde territory in the south. It was pointed out to Bloodwing that this was the Warden's territory, to which he had smirked that brief, unhappy smirk of his.

Fumbling over a fallen birch in his steaming armor, his spear snagging on all manner of overhung vegetation, Alacade could not help but wonder if someone more... subtle could have been summoned to make contact with the huntress. At first, he figured it was his singular ability to remain standing after being filled with arrows (not an unlikely outcome, given most race's opinion of his new state), but the visions of a former life that would not relent were granting him a different insight.

The huntress, Coriani, didn't need a dagger-laiden sneak, and she didn't need a fire-spewing warlock. Right now, alone in hostile territory, she needed a friend. And if nothing else, Farmer Graves could be friendly.

The scout, so far away, reported with a thought as truncated and sharp as the arrows she employed; Sentinel diverted north. Several other reports hummed through the psychic link: Animated a small fight club composed of chipmunks and turtles to confuse the enemy. Sentinel glaives too sharp, retreating to ambush site delta. Caught human courier, farted in her hair, sent fleeing northwest.

Good. The operation was without hitch. Now it was his turn.

Pushing aside the flickering candle of memory, Alacade pressed his way through the forest's foliage, cupping a metal hand to his broken mouth, and calling out to the huntress and her pet.

((Sorry about the slight delay; I've been feeling crummy off and on past few days. I'll see about having some IC responses soon.

I'll also try to be in game this week in the late afternoon (4pm-5pm) depending on how I'm feeling. ))

A throbbing head was the first thing the Sin’dorei felt when she came to. Wait, why she lying down? How long had she down? Coriani sighed and rubbed her head while sitting up, she had passed out again. This was the third time she had found herself waking up on the ground in the past few days. The exhaustion from taking care of her pet lynx since she had been stranded in Ashenvale had really caught up to the huntress. While Coriani had found cocoa beans in her pack after she had first passed out a few days earlier, making a beverage out of them in an attempt to stay awake hadn’t help much.

Coriani’s appearance also showed her exhaustion. She was a bit paler than normal and she had dark circles around her eyes. There was also the matter with her red hair. Her elaborate pony-tail was halfway undone and she had leaves stuck in it. The huntress unfortunately hadn’t been able to wash herself with her tending to her pet but she didn’t smell bad, at least in her mind. Then again all she could smell was Bloodthistle. The last batch she had bought of the herb was rather potent, one of the most she had in some time.

The huntress’s thoughts got interrupted as she heard a growl coming from besides her. Coriani turned and looked at the lynx and sighed; the sound she had heard had come from TigerCat but he was still asleep. Maybe the magical effect was starting to weaken? She could do a check up on her pet to see if it could be weakening. However; she was going to wait a bit and have something to drink before performing another one, she didn’t want to pass out again.

With that thought in mind, Cori grabbed a canteen of water from her backpack and a pedal of Bloodthistle from her herb pouch. Her addition to the herb was strong but then again it was to any herb that had magical properties in them. Bloodthistle was the easiest for her to obtain. Granted, she could try to take less of the herb but in times of stress, the amount of the Bloodthistle she took tended to go up. And she was stressed with her being stuck in hostile territory with an unconscious pet and her cousin still missing.

She took sips of the water while briefly taking a look at the letters that had been sent to her, including Sidonwy’s which she had received night before. Besides the inquisitor sending an agent to help her out, one of the other reasons she hadn’t used the hearthstone to get more aid for her pet was she was worried that was a chance Alliance spies could listen in and inform their patrols of her location. She didn’t want to end up as a prisoner to anyone. That being said, if that agent didn’t come soon to retrieve her, she was prepared to take a risk and get more help for her pet.

The blood wondered what reason the agent seemed to be taking their time. Could have they ran into patrols? Cori hoped not. What if the agent the inquisitor had sent was having trouble finding her? The inquisitor seemed to know her location but maybe they hadn’t informed the agent exactly where she was at. Her campsite was small and the flying machine was camouflaged. She needed some way of getting their attention without any Alliance patrols noticing. After all, she didn’t want a confrontation with them if she could avoid one.

Something subtle was would be ideal for this matter… wait, did she have anything that was subtle in her bags? The huntress wasn’t sure as she started to search them. She looked in all of her packs and found several flares but those would likely attract Alliance patrols to her exact location. There wasn’t any item in her bags that could be considered subtle but she still had her toolbox that she could search. The huntress could have stuck something there by accident.

With that, she grabbed her toolbox and started to look through it. She had bolts, her gnomish army knife (she didn’t know if goblins had created one or not, she had never been able to get an answer from one.), blastpacks and fireworks. Fireworks would have the same issue as flares in her mind. Did she have anything subtle at all? Coriani smirked as she noticed an unfinished mechanical squirrel near the bottom of the toolbox. If she could get it working, it might be the thing that could be subtle enough to get an agent attention.

((Continued below))

Cori looked at the instructions of the squirrel to see what needed to be done on it. All she needed was a few bolts to secure it together and it’d be finished. She would also check the wiring to make sure it worked once powered on. She grabbed the unfinished mechanical squirrel, her gnomish army knife (it had the tools she needed) and a few bolts before starting to work on the device. After inspecting the wiring and making a few tweaks to it, the huntress secured the device together with the bolts and then powered it on to see if it would work.

She sigh a breath of relief as the mechanical squirrel started to move and hop around. It seemed to behave as a squirrel normally would, except it was stealing bolts from her toolbox. Why was it doing that? Maybe it confusing bolts for nuts, she wasn’t sure exactly. Coriani briefly shooed it away as she put away her gnomish army knife and closed the box; she didn’t need supplies stolen from it even if it from one of her mechanical devices.

Her ears twitched when she thought she heard someone calling for her. Maybe the agent was getting close or it could be an Alliance trap attempting to draw her out. Cori didn’t want to take a chance and yell something out. However, it seemed to have got the mechanical squirrel’s attention and it ran off towards the sound. The tweaks she had made to the mechanical device was that if it detected a horde agent, it’d start to run back toward Cori in an attempt to lead them back to her. If it detected alliance or someone with bad intentions, it’d hopefully hide.

Then again there was the chance the squirrel could malfunction and start throwing nuts and bolts at other critters, Alliance patrols or even the agent the inquisitor was sending. If the voice Cori had heard came from the agent, hopefully they notice the mechanical squirrel and know she was in the area. For now, she was going to stay quiet to avoid possible detection by Alliance patrols.

Coriani looked at her pet nearby and quietly let out a sigh, the lynx was still in a deep sleep and growling, though more quietly now. She could do a really quick check up on her pet in the meantime; the huntress was feeling well enough at the moment where she hopefully wouldn’t pass out. Granted, that could change but that was a risk she needed to take and find out how strong the magical effect was on her pet.

((Sorry for the slight delay, I felt crummy earlier when I was going to post this. I hope the mechanical squirrel is subtle enough to get Alacade's attention; feel free to control the device if you wish.

I'll have IC responses up once Cori is out of Ashenvale.))

((I'll be going out of town today until 25th and won't be able to log in-game. There might be internet access so if that's the case, I'll be able to log into the forums and role play. Coriani's exit out of Ashenvale will be done via forums.))

((Sorry for the delay. There is internet access where I'm staying out of town so if anyone wishes to roleplay via the forums, that's fine with me (in-game will have to wait for when I get back along with a forum post from Qixilixa. Cori wasn't the only one who got that fish.). I'll check on this thread later. Unfortunately my health is flaring up on me. Hopefully it won't get to the point where I'll have to go to the Urgent Care or Hospital during vacation. ))

(( I made it back from vacation. Unfortunately, I'm in the hospital again with another Crohn's complication so I won't be able to log on in-game until I'm out. I don't know how long I'll be in but once I'm out, I hope to have some IC responses up.))

((I dont know who this "Crohn" is but do I need to kick his !@#?

Hope you feel better. :D ))

((I'm out from the hospital now (better to be home than there). Depending on how I'm feeling, I'll see about having some IC responses up in a bit. ))

((From Qixilixa's perspective.))

Qixilixa stepped off the Zeppelin at Grom’Gol Base Camp in Stranglethorn Vale with her black wolf mount following behind while looking at the night sky. The adult red haired goblin quickly made her way out of the camp and then hopped on the wolf and started to ride east. She rubbed her right ear and noted she could barely hear the wolf howl. She didn’t have the best hearing for a bruiser; she was completely deaf in her left ear due to an explosion some years earlier on Kezan and her right ear had some damage done to it.

She had gone to the Da Doctas clinic where a tauren healer had put a tiny seed in her right ear to hopefully repair the damage. It seemed to help some but she couldn’t hear every conversation that went on. But she didn’t come to Stranglethorn Vale to be concerned with her hearing. What had made her come to this place? She was going to pay a visit to one of her cousins, Driqa that lived on the eastern coast in a small place and try to get aid in a task that required... tracking. She needed help in finding another cousin of hers that had done something bad to her.

Which cousin did she want help in tracking down? She had several cousins, all which would play pranks on her occasionally due to her hearing but one of them had clearly gone into criminal activity. That might have not bothered her if this cousin was doing petty stuff like stealing coins from unsuspecting adventurers. However, the cousin the bruiser wanted help in finding had gone into the business of selling tainted fish that had great potential to kill if consumed and no healer was around since the fish had a magical knockout effect. Selling items like this was something Qixilixa had an issue with.

The goblin wasn’t sure on how long Nappsixa had been selling tainted fish, but she came aware of it a few weeks earlier when Qixilixa herself had received several mountain trout from the cousin. The mountain trout had turned from vibrant green to a disgusting dark color within a day after getting it. At the time, she didn’t know it had come from Nappsixa due to a lack of note and her not being able to hear the cousin’s voice over the hearthstone. She thought Nappsixa’s twin sister, Izriza could have been also responsible been but in the last few weeks, she found that wasn’t the case.

She managed to locate Izriza in Western Plaguelands attempting to catch critters in order to sell them. That actually surprised Qixilixa since last she had heard this particular cousin along with Nappsixa had been trying to become an environmental engineer. However, the twins had a fight and decided to part ways. Izriza wasn’t sure where twin sister had gone and didn’t want to know either, especially since there was a good chance Nappsixa had gotten herself involved with a high elf alchemist known to taint fish.

Qixilixa shook her head in disgust. Nappsixa wasn’t an alchemist and what she had been told, this cousin didn’t know how to use a fishing pole. Her cousin had to be getting the fish from a source. Based on the discoloration of the mountain trout and been told of its magical knockout effect, the bruiser had her suspicions that the fish was coming from high elf alchemist she had met a few years earlier after leaving Kezan. Nisensi… Qixilixa spit at the thought of the name.

Her fists started to clench and her eyes blazed with anger the more she thought about the high elf. She had good reasons to be angry; especially after the meeting a few years earlier she had in Ashenvale. What happened at this meeting? Qixilixa’s thoughts started to drift back to the incident. Nisensi had attempted to bribe the bruiser into joining her organization with gold, over six thousand to be exact. It was a lot gold that she could have used since she had left Kezan with the few belongings she had and didn’t have much with her.

The bruiser at the time did have hesitations of joining an organization she had no knowledge of; especially if it had goals similar to Cult of the Damned or the Twilight Hammer she had heard rumors about in Silithus. Nisensi had tried to tell Qixilixa that her goals were just and she had many who had joined her cause. She remembered asking the high elf if she had any other goblins or horde races including blood elves had joined her organization. That is when the high elf’s manner had suddenly changed to bitter.

Nisensi specially mentioned her hatred of blood elves, citing she found them to be as annoying as murlocs for use of fel magics. Qixilixa at the time had never seen or heard of a murloc so she didn’t know if they were bothersome or not before but she had seen a Sin’dorei a week earlier in Ratchet. The blood elf didn’t seem annoying at all to the bruiser; in fact the Sin’dorei was the type Qixilixa wanted as a potential customer seeing the blood elf had ran out of some type of herb and wanted more of it, something the goblin could have acquired at the time.

((Continued.))

The high elf alchemist thought differently on that matter. Nisensi even mentioned at the meeting she had ‘plans’ in work for dealing with Sin’dorei. Something in the way she had said it made Qixilixa think at the time the plans including killing blood elves. She had then asked Nisensi if her plans included murlocs in it. The alchemist mentioned that her plans would include blood elves and any other race that annoyed her. Even though Nisensi had offered her lots of gold, the idea of joining an organization that had possible plans of genocide wasn’t in her interests.

Qixilixa had decided then not to join the high elf’s cause and told her she wasn’t interested. Nisensi had seemed disappointed but left a ‘gift’ in a crate for the bruiser in thanks for considering before leaving. The bruiser had then looked inside and noted there was spotted yellowtail; normally the goblin didn’t eat fish but she had been hungry and forgotten to buy food. Something at the time told her she shouldn’t eat the fish but she didn’t listen to her gut and had decided to feast on it.

Within a few minutes of eating the fish, she had fallen unconscious due to it being tainted with a magical knock out effect. She might have died from it if a human paladin with dwarven braids and amnesiac draenei shaman hadn’t found and decided to heal her of the effects. Why had these two from the Alliance had decided to tend to her? Simple, they had mistaken her to be a member of Steamwheedle Cartel. The Cataclysm hadn’t happened when Qixilixa had her meeting with Nisensi but they could have assumed she had been a part of the Venture Co and left her to die since she hadn’t had anything on her that indicated what Cartel she was a part of at the time.

That being said, the goblin let them assume she was a member of the Steamwheedle since the likelihood of them hearing of the Bilgewater Cartel was slim after she woke up. The goblin didn’t know how long she had been unconscious from the time she had ate the fish until was found by the human and draenei. As it was, it took the paladin almost two days to dispel the magical effect from the goblin after she was found. That itself told Qixilixa how strong of a potion had put on the fish and also how good of an alchemist Nisensi was.

She remembered the paladin and shaman were concerned about the tainted fish after Qixilixa noted the yellowtail had turned a disgusting dark color and had alchemy smells to it. The draenei took a few of the tainted fish to study before they left and said they’d keep an eye out for Nisensi and the fish and would inform someone in the Steamwheedle if they found more of it, since they thought the high elf had made an attempt on one of their member’s lives. Qixilixa hadn’t heard any more incidents about tainted fish or Nisensi until a few weeks ago.

The bruiser thoughts drifted back as she noted she had passed the giant whirlpool. She still had bit of a ways to go before she reached Driqa’s place. Hopefully her cousin would be there and be willing to help…

--------------------------

“Nappsixa sent you tainted mountain trout, too? I didn’t think she would be that foolish considering you have some alchemy knowledge.” Driqa commented.

“Wait, you had tainted fish sent to you? Why didn’t you tell me?” Qixilixa shook her head while her fists started to clench. She had just told Driqa about the mountain trout and the possible Nisensi connection. The bruiser wasn’t happy to learn that Nappsixa had the tainted merchandise sent to this cousin as well. What had Nappsixa sent the fish to Driqa the bruiser didn’t know the reason but it angered her; was Nisensi trying to take out other members of the family?

Driqa pulled her red hair into a simple ponytail before talking, “A few weeks earlier some was sent to me. There was no note on the crate but Nappsixa managed to put a belonging of hers inside. Luckily that worgen mercenary I know was over and informed me that he could smell an alchemy taint on the trout so I didn’t eat it. I thought it was a prank she was trying to play on me but I should have known better. It’s still in that small crate over there if you want to take a look.” the brown eye goblin pointed to the small box near the door.

Qixilixa walked over to the small crate and opened it briefly before swiftly shutting it. Even with a frozen orb in it, the mountain trout had disintegrated into a pile of goo that had a rather strong smell of rotten alchemy, the same smell from the fish she had got a few weeks earlier. The bruiser did have alchemy training some years back after the explosion on Kezan that took her hearing from left ear; however, she usually just made rocket fuel with the training she got. “So are you going to help track Nappisxa? Izriza didn’t know where her twin was hiding.”

((continued.))

“Of course I’ll help track her down, especially if she’s working with damned Nisensi. She doesn’t need to get into that type of activity. I’ll even help beat her back into her senses if you want.”

“I was planning a little meeting and doing something like that once she is found. Maybe find out if she knows where that high elf wench is hiding.” The red haired goblin rubbed her hands together.

“It will take me a bit of time to track her down. Last I heard Nappsixa was somewhere in Kalimdor. That being said, I have a favor I’ll need of you.” Driqa turned towards Qixilixa.

“Flavor? Why do you need a flavor?” The bruiser had a puzzled look on her face. Granted, that was something she could do with her alchemy skills…

“Favor, Qixilixa. I said FAVOR. You really need to learn to read lips.”

She nodded slowly; the goblin did need to learn to read lips, especially if the seed didn’t repair all the damage in her right ear. That being said her cousin needing a favor made much more sense than a flavor. “Oh, what favor then.” Qixilixa turned towards Driqa who was pacing back and forth.

“I have some armor that has been trouble selling. Apparently it’s too old looking or something. I’m thinking I’ll make more money selling any magical properties that may still be on the armor but I need an enchanter in order to do that. Do you think your enchanter partner would be able to do that with the sticky situation they’re in?”

The bruiser rubbed her ear. She had an enchanter she did business with from time to time, a Sin’dorei that wasn’t considered an adult yet. Qixilixa didn’t have issues with hiring children to do safe tasks; especially if they wanted to work. This Sin’dorei had great potential to be a deadly rogue but had issues due to being effected with a curse that worked similar to narcolepsy. The blood elf had some trouble with mysterious rival of her late fathers, a rival who had sent mercenaries after her and wanted the young one to pay her late father’s debt possibly with blood.

How had the red haired bruiser learned about the Sin’dorei’s troubling situation? Qixilixa had found the kid rogue injured after dealing with one of the mercenaries on her own a few months earlier in Northern Stranglethorn. She had brought the enchanter to Driqa’s place and found more about the situation they were in. The goblin had made the suggestion for the blood elf to hide in a remote area while she would try to find the identity of the rival to deal with them. She had also supplied the Sin’dorei with a few items that would help out the situation before the elf had left.

Qixilixa hadn’t heard from her enchanter in while now but she hoped the kid was still safe; especially since she hadn’t managed to locate the mysterious rival yet. She didn’t have much information about the rival other than they were a high elf mage and may have worked on a pirate ship sometime in the past thirty years. She had few mercenary friends that would get back to her if any high elf, especially one that was a mage attempted to hire them to go after a kid.

“I think she would be more than willing to disenchant any magical properties on the armor but you’ll need to pay the kid.”

“Don’t worry; the girl would get a good part of the earnings that sell.”

“Alright, just put the armor in a crate and I’ll write a letter to the kid. I don’t know where she is hiding at the moment…” Qixilixa paused after watching her cousin struggle with dragging out a big crate. The crate was almost the height of the bruiser; it was taller than Driqa who was on the shorter end for goblins. There had to be a lot of old armor pieces if she needed something that big to carry it. “Do you need help with that?”

“Na, I got this. You just write that letter to the girl. Tell her to watch out for Vrykul females if she’s in Northrend.”

“Will do. Thanks for reminding me about the Vrykuls. I hate to see the kid get hurt by them.” The bruiser shook her head after watching her cousin slip and fall. Driqa managed to get back on her feet while Qixilixa went through her packs and found some parchment paper to write the letter with to the Sin’dorei. She sat down on the floor of her cousin’s place and rubbed her ears, she was thankful she was here and able to write the letter where a certain Sin’dorei huntress wouldn’t find out who she was writing to.

The goblin shrugged while she briefly watched her cousin toss the old armor in the big crate. Why was Qixilixa possibly concerned about a certain huntress finding out about the letter she was about to write? For one, the bruiser didn’t want to deal with Sin’dorei questioning her about the whereabouts of her cousin. The blood elf kid rogue not only had a high elf mage after her, her only living family relative was looking for her as well. Her enchanter did run away from Silvermoon for many reasons she didn’t want to get into right now.

((continued.))

Who was the note going to? The letter was being addressed to Failiani Arrowind, Coriani’s young missing cousin. Qixilixa quickly started to write the letter in common (due to the fact Faili had a hard time reading Orcish) that read,

Hey Failiani,

I’ve enclosed several old armor pieces in the crate. If you can disenchant any magical properties that may be on them and send me the dust; I’ll send you part of the earnings that sell.

My hearing had more damaged done to it since we last spoke due to an accident involving Bloodthistle and explosives while I was sleeping. I’ve gone to the Da Doctas clinic in Thunder Bluff and had my right ear checked out. A tauren healer put a tiny seed in my right ear that should repair the damage of the explosion in time. If that doesn’t work, a blood elf woman mentioned that are some enchanters skilled enough to replace ears if my right ear goes deaf completely. I don’t believe that is something you can do, right?

I’m still trying to figure out the identity of that high elf mage that is after you. A few mercenary friends of mine are keeping an eye for any mage that contacts them whose name starts with a ‘N’. It’s too bad your late father didn’t mention more information about that rival of his, even a pirate ship that make it easier to find them. If there is anything you can remember your late father talking about his rival just let me know. I’ll make sure this high elf mage regrets every action they have taken against you, Faili once I find them.

Watch out for Vrykul females if you are in Northrend. Other goblins told have me that they are vicious; especially the ones that live in Storm Peaks. I’d keep an eye on the male ones, too the more I think about it.

Keep safe, kid wherever you are hiding. I’d hate to see you get hurt; especially with the sleeping condition you have.

~Qixilixa

Post Note; Would you mind writing me a note, even if it’s in Thalassian when you receive this?

Once the letter was finished, Qixilixa folded the parchment up and got on her feet. She walked up to the big crate as Driqa put the last armor piece she had, an old looking red cape with light green trim. “Got room for this on the top?” If there was one thing she didn’t want was for the letter to be out in the open in case someone got curious and decided to read it. That was a situation the goblin wanted to avoid if possible.

“Sure do. We sure don’t want someone finding out about this shipment and informing Coriani Arrowind or that high elf rival that’s after the girl; Gotta protect your asset after all.”

Qixilixa nodded as she barely managed to put the letter on top of the armor in the big crate. She had her reasons she hadn’t informed Coriani by mail that she had seen her missing cousin. She had sent the huntress mail before but that strictly related to her Bloodthistle business, something Coriani hadn’t bought from the goblin. While one could assume that was a reason for not telling the Sin’dorei anything, that wasn’t the case as Qixilixa had hopes she would buy Bloodthistle from her.

No, she had other reasons for not telling. For one, Failiani was willing to disenchant armor for cheap, something the goblin liked and even gave the Sin’dorei a bit more than asked. Another was her skills as a rogue; even though she still had a long ways to go before being an expert, Qixilixa had noticed Failiani’s potential to be deadly. She could have a potential assassin to hire once Faili was an adult and if her narcolepsy type sleeping curse went away.

Besides, the likelihood of someone else hiring a narcoleptic rogue was slim. Who would want a rogue that could suddenly fall asleep at given time? How did Qixilixa find out about the blood elf’s curse? Failiani had fallen asleep rather suddenly while she was explaining her situation. She didn’t think of Failiani of just an asset, she also thought of the young Sin’dorei as a friend and was worried about the threat against the young one.

She didn’t think Silvermoon was the safest place for Faili due to high elf mage could disguise as a Sin’dorei and attack the kid and teleport away before anyone noticed. Failiani’s mentor was venerable and wouldn’t be able to defend her. The goblin figured the rogue was safer out in some remote place since the mage apparently didn’t know how to scry and hadn’t studied about it, something that puzzled her since most mages she met liked to study.

However, Qixilixa hadn’t been aware of the fact Failiani had partially lied to her about the identity of the person after her a few months earlier. The goblin had met Nisensi before but wasn’t aware that high elf alchemist was also a mage. If the bruiser had known Nisensi was the one after Faili and wanted her as an experiment, she would have different tactics and would have suggested Failiani to hide in Bilgewater Harbor or another horde town with the few disguises she provided for her.