Feast of Winter's Veil and New Year's Beginning.
Northrend.
There were always rumblings about it, mentions of it in conversation around Orgrimmar that no one in my circles really got deep detail on. Thanks to the battles of recent years we all knew of Arthas, the Lich king, and the horrors that had come from there. The humans I spoke with at the centers for learning and among the Violet Eye could tell me all I could bear to hear on the subject.
Then came the reports of Arthas attacking the Plaguelands and northern regions in Azeroth. Even in the city of lights where I'd made my home the reports came with crashing alarm in to the very center. Shortly after that came the battle at Light's Hope Chapel where Arthas was directly seen on the battlefield. Then the cast off Death Knights began to straggle in to Orgrimmar and present themselves to Thrall. It was said that the prince's grasp weakened on these poor blighted creatures and they had no where else to go. Some of them were even still recognizable to their family and friends.
Even now just thinking of it makes me shudder.
I find myself now at New Agamand. For quite a while I was at the western reaches of Northrend. To tell of everything that was done would take more pages than this journal has parchment scraps. I was among the orcs for a long time, then amongst the humans to try and learn more from them. At the time I discovered the existence of something called "mage hunters", and while I tend to shy away from actually striking down a living thing, these made it very easy. The second they felt me begin to draw forth energy from the ether, they attacked me. I heard tales of what had happened to my compatriots who were not able to focus quickly. I am grateful to have been able to walk away.
The Taunka and the Tuskarr, new peoples to be encountered in these lands, make me uneasy. The Taunka seem very suspicious and uneasy, -and who can blame them, being that we the outsiders spawned the horrors that are rising against them now- but they also appear very wise. They have lived in this country for as long as they've had a recorded history. So, too, have the Tuskarr. Both have shamanic traditions that would be fascinating to delve in to, were there any written records of which to study. Theirs appears to be a majority oral tradition. What writing they have is ceremonial and hard to derive true meaning from. The elders that I might talk with have been scattered, slaughtered, or are currently hard pressed to defend what is left as they fight off the same siege of Death Knights and undead minions that we have come north to battle against ourselves.
It is very hard to be in their presence. They gaze at me and I have a feeling that the winds or the low grasses are whispering things to them about me. I'm a stranger here, and having to look at them reminds me of this every single day.
What does any of this have to do with being in New Agamand? Well, I must admit with some embarassment that the pressure from the orcs to become fast friends with all these new peoples was too much. Already being among this cold and ice makes me uncomfortable, as I am, by blood, a tropical creature. There are other reasons that I'm not ready to go in to. But with the added underlying distrust, I moved away from the orcs and their all-encompassing plan to welcome anyone against the Scourge and towards the Howling Fjords.
Believe it or not, I was more at home amongst the undead than those with warm blood in their veins. Perhaps it is because they are so upfront in their intentions and do not really take the time with niceties that I found them more easy to be around. No hidden agendas or niceties. Or perhaps I'm being idealistic in my assessment and it was nice to be around dry humor and familiar prejudices.
so here I find myself in a land stewing in poisons and plagues, scribing this by the flickering candlelight the forsaken so love. In a moment I will take my cloak, wrap it around myself, and rest in a pine-hewn box propped up against a wall. But it will be the most familiar thing to me in this place, so I expect to sleep far better here than back at Taunke'le.
There were always rumblings about it, mentions of it in conversation around Orgrimmar that no one in my circles really got deep detail on. Thanks to the battles of recent years we all knew of Arthas, the Lich king, and the horrors that had come from there. The humans I spoke with at the centers for learning and among the Violet Eye could tell me all I could bear to hear on the subject.
Then came the reports of Arthas attacking the Plaguelands and northern regions in Azeroth. Even in the city of lights where I'd made my home the reports came with crashing alarm in to the very center. Shortly after that came the battle at Light's Hope Chapel where Arthas was directly seen on the battlefield. Then the cast off Death Knights began to straggle in to Orgrimmar and present themselves to Thrall. It was said that the prince's grasp weakened on these poor blighted creatures and they had no where else to go. Some of them were even still recognizable to their family and friends.
Even now just thinking of it makes me shudder.
I find myself now at New Agamand. For quite a while I was at the western reaches of Northrend. To tell of everything that was done would take more pages than this journal has parchment scraps. I was among the orcs for a long time, then amongst the humans to try and learn more from them. At the time I discovered the existence of something called "mage hunters", and while I tend to shy away from actually striking down a living thing, these made it very easy. The second they felt me begin to draw forth energy from the ether, they attacked me. I heard tales of what had happened to my compatriots who were not able to focus quickly. I am grateful to have been able to walk away.
The Taunka and the Tuskarr, new peoples to be encountered in these lands, make me uneasy. The Taunka seem very suspicious and uneasy, -and who can blame them, being that we the outsiders spawned the horrors that are rising against them now- but they also appear very wise. They have lived in this country for as long as they've had a recorded history. So, too, have the Tuskarr. Both have shamanic traditions that would be fascinating to delve in to, were there any written records of which to study. Theirs appears to be a majority oral tradition. What writing they have is ceremonial and hard to derive true meaning from. The elders that I might talk with have been scattered, slaughtered, or are currently hard pressed to defend what is left as they fight off the same siege of Death Knights and undead minions that we have come north to battle against ourselves.
It is very hard to be in their presence. They gaze at me and I have a feeling that the winds or the low grasses are whispering things to them about me. I'm a stranger here, and having to look at them reminds me of this every single day.
What does any of this have to do with being in New Agamand? Well, I must admit with some embarassment that the pressure from the orcs to become fast friends with all these new peoples was too much. Already being among this cold and ice makes me uncomfortable, as I am, by blood, a tropical creature. There are other reasons that I'm not ready to go in to. But with the added underlying distrust, I moved away from the orcs and their all-encompassing plan to welcome anyone against the Scourge and towards the Howling Fjords.
Believe it or not, I was more at home amongst the undead than those with warm blood in their veins. Perhaps it is because they are so upfront in their intentions and do not really take the time with niceties that I found them more easy to be around. No hidden agendas or niceties. Or perhaps I'm being idealistic in my assessment and it was nice to be around dry humor and familiar prejudices.
so here I find myself in a land stewing in poisons and plagues, scribing this by the flickering candlelight the forsaken so love. In a moment I will take my cloak, wrap it around myself, and rest in a pine-hewn box propped up against a wall. But it will be the most familiar thing to me in this place, so I expect to sleep far better here than back at Taunke'le.
posted by Red | 9:23 PM
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