Fires in the night

[Lailya]

Lailya slumped gratefully in the chair Zaevian pulled up for her. Without an immediate threat to meet, the adrenaline that had kept her going throughout the night was rapidly draining away, leaving her shaky and exhausted.

Clinically, she noted part of that shaken might be due to shock. The immense drain - on her mana reserves and the physical and mental toll - of keeping five demons bound to Azeroth, plus employing nearly every other spell in her arsenal at some point, was nothing to sneeze at; the last time she'd pulled that particular trick without constant mana replenishment had been during the fall of Silvermoon as she'd defended retreating Sanctum students, and she'd been physically hauled away from the encroaching Scourge horde by her colleagues before she'd collapsed from exhaustion and mana shock.

She'd also used life tap more than was healthy without a healer's support. In a desperate attempt to keep fueled, her magic had essentially begun to eat away at what little fat reserves she had on her already too-thin body (still recovering from her efforts in the war against the Lich King) and some of the muscle, too. Luckily she hadn't gone so far that her internal organs couldn't function, but she'd been rapidly approaching that point. As it was, she looked gaunt and severely underfed at the moment. This wasn't something magic could heal; only rest, food, and time would allow her to get back to her previous strength.

Lailya made a mental note to contact her mother for some of her soup and stew recipes, then curled up in her chair. Idly she noted it was her favorite overstuffed chair, and despite some burns and the smell of smoke, it had remained mostly unscathed. As Pizpit scrambled up to assume a guard position on the back of the chair, the warlock pulled the blanket that had been thrown over the chair's arm over herself. Confident that her tribemates would alert her to any threats, Lailya drifted off into a weary sleep.

[Anca]

Anca slowly stepped through the wreckage of the Hall.

Her brow was furrowed.

Her bottom lip was in a pout.

Her eyes were downcast, looking at the destruction.

Home was broken.

[Guest]

Still staring blankly at Lucinther and the elf who destroyed their home, he raised an arm to cast a full-set of healing spells on the seemingly unconscious Lailya, giving her a nice way to mend while she slept.

He then put a quick healing restorative touch on each of his allies in the room, just in case they were trying to hide life threatening wounds.

Also, because he was expecting further combat with the elf.

[rincewindy]

Rincewindy stood up, feeling stronger from the bit of healing he received from Tursiops and walked towards the gathering. The night elf wasn't wearing the robes that the cultists had been wearing as he had first assumed.

His voice a faint whisper, he said, "Could someone please oblige?" His hand came up, indicating the knives.

Lucinther smirked, "You want those out?"

"Please." Rincewindy walked over to the rogue and knelt down so that he would have a better angle. The knives came out easily enough.

"How'd you manage to get them in there?"

"I was attacking a gnome in the kitchen and a man came up from behind and mistook my back for a knife block."

"Did you see where they went?"

"Out the kitchen window." Rince looked up at the night elf, "Friends of yours?"

The night elf nodded solemnly. "The human's name is Ryak."

"And the gnome?"

"That was Squigvicious." The night elf ran his hands through his hair. "Look, I didn't really want to be a part of this. I personally didn't think the cultists had that much firepower. They were only meant to be a diversion while Squig set the bombs. I understand that all of you are upset. I would be too. I accept my fate."

"Thank you," Rincewindy said to Lucinther, the words barely audible. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." He got up, stretched and found a spot that wouldn't be in anyone's way.

[Krell]

Krell emerged from behind the Guild Hall looking a bit worse for wear. He and his companion Owakeri had been battling a small group of cultists who had slipped around back and were busy making trouble. Krell was moving slowly as his wounds were serious, yet not life threatening. Owakeri was trotting at his side, supporting Krell whenever he stumbled. Krell looked down at Owakeri and realization seemed to dawn on him as he noticed the injuries Owakeri had taken while protecting him. With a wave of his hand, a faint blue glow seemed to connect the two of them, and Owakeri's wounds began to heal. "There my friend, that should fix you up good as new."

As they rounded the corner, Krell took in the scene at the front of the Guild Hall. He noticed several Tribe members recovering from battle, but his attention soon turned towards the Hall itself. Simply put, it lay in ruins. He collapsed. Owakeri was quickly at his hand, nudging him into a sitting position and whining softly. After a few moments of composing himself, Krell looked up at the Guild Hall and said, "Everything. Gone. Destroyed." He dropped his head to his chest, and weeped.

[Lucinther]

Lucinther looked around at the tired and bloodied. Most were still devestated by the fact that the guild hall had been destroyed.

" What are you all so upset about? So the guild hall is destroyed. Its nothing but a pile of rocks... an object. The guild hall is not what makes us the Ironsong Tribe. No one died. We are all still here. We are all still together. We are what makes the Ironsong Tribe what it is. So long as we are together, the tribe cannot be destroyed. They can burn down guild hall after guild hall, and we will still be The Ironsong Tribe."

[Cloudjumper]

((With the release of Cataclysm my DK Gothelle will become a Goblin by the name of Gryni Cogswork. I'm just going to RP she is already a goblin in the mean time.))


Gryni stood watching the cultist prisoners, and the great warrior Mula weeping on the ground. She walked over, put her small hand under Mula's shoulder and hoisted her to her feet.

"Now is not the time for tears, there is work to do." she said smiling at the warrior.

"I'll march this lot to Orgrimmar to meet their fate." the goblin reached down and picks up the huge axe Mula had imbed into the earth. "Take your axe, head back to the Guild Hall and see what help the others may need."

"Oh take these!" The goblin reached into her pack and took out a small wrapped package of brownies. "Sugar and chocolate make everything better."

With that she started marching her prisoners towards the city.

[rincewindy]

Mula walked up the hill slowly. She was lost in thought. He was right. Of course. They had just successfully defended against a massive attack. And from what she could tell, everyone had survived. She took one of the brownies and began to nibble at it, holding the rest of them behind her back.

She stepped through the remains of the threshold and said between bites, "These brownies are all well and good, but I think they'd be much better with carrots." Seeing that all the attention was on her now, she took another bite, and smiled. "Mmmmm." She even thought she saw Lucinther drool a little, until he suavely covered it with a yawn. She grinned and held out the package of brownies. "Who's up for some victory brownies?"

[Guest]

Zaevian nodded and mumbled thanks to Mula and Tursiops for their help with his wounds. Feeling strong enough to stand again as the healing magic takes effect he wanders over to where Lucinther is sitting with the druid invader. "So that weird gnome that was spying on us was the one behind this?" He then makes a nod towards the druid. "And you say you are willing to accept your fate.... Then I suggest that we have the druid helps us find and punish his companions. Besides it doesn't sit right with me to kill him after he has helped stop the fires and surendered. What do you think corpse?"

[Guest]

As Tursiops quietly watches the devastation and almost visibly, something in him snaps.

With a low growl, he breaks his healing staff into two pieces, dropping it purposefully on the ground. Staring at the night elf for a moment, his eyes go bloodshot and wild, blood dripping down from the corners of his mouth where he has been clenching his teeth too hard.

"No."

The previously peaceful healer then snaps into flight form far too quickly, with a visible and audible tearing of flesh in what should be an otherwise flawless shapeshifting. He then whips into the air, lets loose a loud cry of pain, anger, and combat challenge and begins a direct and fast flight north, towards Alliance territory.

[Lucinther]

Lucinther shook his head watching Tursiops fly away. He sighed and looked at the Night Elf. " I'm sorry for what Tursiops is about to do. Please believe that this entire Tribe is not like that."

He paused for a second. " Zaevian is right. When it came down to it.... once you saw what your actions had caused, he fought along side us to stop it. You even saved Aracna's son, when you owed her nothing. You could have left him there, dead.... but you didn't. Zaevian's right.... Unlike some, I cannot kill you on the principle that you are Alliance... Alliance or not, that would be murder. I'm not saying you are entirely forgiven for the destruction you have brought us.... but, I believe a man should be judged by his actions, and when it came down to it, you stood side by side with a racial enemy to work together..."

[rincewindy]

The night elf nodded. "You understand. I could not lead you to my comrades so that you could take revenge on them. If revenge is what you seek, then you'll have to take it out on me."

[Donalzon]

A few days after the attack a tall willowy blood elf with long flowing silver hair walks towards the remains of the guild hall. Many there might not recognize him in his finely cut robes, although he still has his hammer at his side and shield on his back.

Donalzon stares in shock at the state of the guild hall. After talking to Raxxar and Lailya about what happened a sad look enters his eyes. "I let my guard down, I thought the war was over. I could have prevented this."

Donalzon sets up a tent within calling distance of the hall and immediately sits down to write. He drafts a letter to his comrades from the assault on Icecrown. Noodlemortis, Ankoo and Nganga need to know what happened. The Tribe needs to start marshaling it's allies.

Then he scrawls a quick requisition. He walks over to the now charred and empty totem. Putting the crisp clean paper on the post he thinks to himself that there will be a new beginning. Hopefully his requisition for armor will be answered. He sold his armor to a goblin engineer, mistakenly thinking it was no longer needed and that it would better serve the engines of industry.

Finally he goes into the hall. He puts his body to work holding up the burnt beams as Raxxar tests them. He assists in knocking out the old beams and carrying out the charred wood and debris.

Sweaty and exhausted, but pleased with the progress he finally heads back to the ruin of his former room. Most of his belongings have been destroyed, either burnt by fire or soaked by water. He moves towards the wreckage of the book case, pushing aside bits of debris and ash. He finds a slightly charred but still intact wooden box. He breathes a sigh of relief as he opens it to reveal an elven faerie tale book. He quickly flips it open glancing at the elegant scrawl declaring the owner: Daneera Sunstrider.

He closes the box and walks out to his tent carrying the box, and carrying the weight of guilt of not being there when he was needed. Most recently during the attack on the guild hall, and back a couple of years ago when Kael'Thas was confronted and the opportunity to find his sister's whereabouts was lost.

Donalzon reaffirms his need to protect those he cares about. He will not be caught unprepared again.

[Noodlemortis]

Noodlemortis returns from Silvermoon after his much-needed respite. Mom's home cooking was just what he needed after months of
fighting that horribly ill-complected Lick King in the icy chill of Northrend.

The blood elf rides across the Barrens, hair waving in the breeze, the thunder of his mechanohog beneath him, and the glorious music of the Chieftans playing on his gnomish recordovox. He pauses singing along for a moment, pondering "Who is this Aquaman and how does he become a queen. Clearly he is a man." He shrugs off the thought and goes back to singing, "I... AM.. MURLO-"

"What the blazes?" he exclaims, stopping suddenly as he comes over the top of a hill. Off in the distance he sees only a smoldering ruin where the great Ironsong Hall once stood. "Well this can't be good." With a frown, Noodlemortis guns the engine and takes off toward the remains, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

As Noodlemortis pulls up to the guild hall, he notices Donalzon coming out of his tent.

"Hail Donalzon!"

Donalzon looks over, "Ah, you got my letter."

Noodlemortis looks puzzled for a moment, then looks up. "Yes!" He rummages through his bags and pulls out the note, unfolding it before Donalzon, revealing a blank page.

"Flip it over," Donalzon says.

Noodlemortis flips the page around to reveal the message. "Brilliant! Our enemies would never have deciphered such a ruse." Noodlemortis then proceeds to read the message for the first time as Donalzon rolls his eyes. "Let's see... cultist attack..." Noodle looks up to Don and notes "You know, I *knew* they couldn't be trusted," then continues reading, "fire elementals... Baron Geddon? Oooh I hate that guy... and I missed the whole thing!"

"Yes, I missed it too." Donalzon laments. "We must begin preparations for a new war. This threat-"

Donalzon stops speaking as the sound of Orgrimmar's war drums begin pounding in the distance.

"Ah it looks like we might have some fun yet." Noodlemortis perks up, grabbing his axe. "It is time to exact vengeance and eat pie... and I have no more pie."

Noodle moves to get back on his hog and pauses, "Oh wait, I actually do have pie. Mom made some for me to share with you guys, but I guess that will have to wait."

He takes one last look at the destruction and pokes at Don, "If there is one bright side to this..." He flips his hair. "...at least they won't tease me about the gunpowder cookie incident anymore."

[Guest]

Zaevian frowned at the druid. "You said that the gnome Squigvicious was you leader right? You know he has been here before, he knew that this was a home to families that there were children here.... I assume that since he was your leader it was his idea to use the cultists as a diversion...." He walked "outside" then returns and tosses the head of the young orc who had thrown the device that summoned the baron to the druid and pointed at it. "That is who he was using as tools for his own ends, A child probably not even old enough to go through the trials of manhood just following whatever leader he could find! And what if we hadn't been able to stop the cultists here?! Do you think that they would be satisfied with just our destruction when they had summoned such a powerful elemental onto this plane?! No they wouldn't! They would continue to summon more and more elementals and with the baron to protect them while they do it there may not be time to stop them! The fires would spread and everyone would suffer! It would reach your precious world tree that you kal'dorei call home and it would burn! You are a druid tasked to protect the world from magical abuses like what the twilight cultists do and to protect the balance of life, yet you protect those who are willing to kill inocents and potential allies against the forces that could destroy this world and recklessly empower those who would cause great destruction! Do you really think a person like that would hesitate to use such methods again after seeing them be effective? I see how easily you turn against you duty and beliefs...." Fuming Zaevian walks back over to his chair and sits back down and looks directly at the druid. "Now what kind of person are you going to be? I will find those responsible and punish them for they are as evil as the twilights hammer...Will you be the kind of person who protects such monsters so they can commit such crimes again?"