We're All Civil here

[itanyablade]

Stormwind. The late shift on the canals between the Trade District and the Cathedral District.

The witching hour.

Two women stand in the shadows along a row of empty shops. One is short, the only illusion of height coming from her tall, pointed hat that she's wearing atop her hood. The first woman's lack of height makes the other woman seem to loom all the more. The taller woman is cloaked and cowled.

Both of them are also dead.

They are waiting for someone.

"OI"... "Darkness, I may just light myself on fire." Pill cackles and then snarls.

"I'd prefer it it 'ee didn't, sweetling." Davien speaks absently, keeping watch.

"Pfft, me too." She tugs at the hood covering her face. "Maggots would be a bit annoyed." She cackles again.

Bricu is walking slowly, tiredly, homeward. He continues blithely on his way and lights up a smoke.

Pill turns her head at the sound and sniffs.

"There, now. " Davien raises her voice a bit, but keeps it pitched low. "Oi, there, love, spare a light?"

Pill stiffles a cackle, grinning beneath her hood.

"Sure." Bricu walks over to the cloaked figure. One hand in his cloak, the other on Smokey's Lighter. His finger is on its trigger, ready to give anyone trying to rough him up an unpleasant surprise.

"Pardon, I just need to find my cigs." Davien gives Pill a nod within the cloak and mutters, "Now."

The paladin blinks. "Eh? Oi, yeh tossers picked the wrong bloke tanight."

Pill calls up her magic before he can finish the thought, silencing Bricu and then instantly sheeping him. She jigs and dances.

"Quickly, now. He's goin' t'be rather upset at this." Davien tries herding the sheeped paladin into an empty building.

"I could use a new blanket," Pill giggles, hustling after Davien.

Bricu struggles and runs around the two mages, dodging their attempts at catching him.

"Bloody hell." Davien sends ice out along the ground carefully, freezing the around his feet without causing him harm.

"Aww," says Pill. "No fair."

Bricu slides forward and falls.

Davien curses and picks up the sheep, melting the ice. "He's not goin' t'like this at. all."

"BAH! So what?"

"Inside. Get the door, aye?" To the sheep in her arms, she mutters, "Stop bloody wigglin'."

"Oi." Pill pulls the door shut. "Outta just light him up now, and be done with it."

"That doesn't get us any answers." Davien sets Bricu down on the ground, watching him stamp around the empty room.

"BAH! WHo cares about answers. Tosser set me up!"

"An' what if someone else takes the reins if he goes quiet?"

"Light them on fire too."

"Y'll have t'find them, first. Look how long it took this time."

"FINE! We do it your way."

"Be ready. He'll either run or rush." The paladin is one angry bit of mutton, glaring at her. She shrugs. "I can knock 'ee out of it, but it'll piss y'off even further."

Pill cackles. "Do it"

Bricu, as a sheep, runs around the room, ramming his head into Pills' knees. He returns to his angry mutton glare.

"Do that again, Tosser," Pill glares angrily, fire dancing on her fingers, "And I will roast you with peppers!"

Davien sighs and pulls a shield of mana before herself, then aims her wand at Bricu. She thinks better of it and pulls fire into her hands, singing his wool as Bricu moves around to ram Pill again.

Bricu glows briefly with an orange light. He has a dagger in one hand. The other hand is in his cloak. "If yeh wanted me dead, i'd be dead. Speak up 'for this gets nasty." There is a hiss of static as his buzzbox switches on.

"Oh, sweetling, y're the one that started the nastiness. I'd suggest y'shut that bloody thing off."

"Bollocks."

"Don't give me a reason!" Pill snarls.

Bricu surrounds himself in a shield of Light and speaks into his buzzbox. "I'm in the canals. Got two angry deaders. Stonemantle an' the one they call Pill. Yeh don't here from me in a few, pay 'em back." He switches off. The glow from his shield highlights the dust covering the floors, and four sets of footprints: two sets of smaller, female-sized bootprints, Bricu's own, larger ones, and a set of tracks from a sheep's hooves.

Davien sighs.

"Now, if I did start somethin', I'd finish it right."

Pill answers back in an accent eerily - exactly - like Bricu's own. "Bollocks. Wanker like you'd play innocent."

"I've not played innocent since I first got laid, yeh daft cow."

"I will roast you, light-blinded idiot. You did this to me, and you're going to pay!"

"What'd I do?" Bricu stops. "When'd yeh get a northern accent?"

Davien catches his eye. "Exactly."

Bricu lets out a gut busting laugh. "If yeh think I did this, yer completely daft."

"I am not!" says Pill.

"How on Azeroth do I do that?" The Light fades from him, plunging the room into near-darkness once more. Moonlight filters in through the windows and cracks in the ceiling.

Pill crosses her arms over her chest. "How should I know. You tell me."

"Yer the witch with the arcane shite."

"She's been speakin' like 'ee for a month now," says Davien. "An' like someone else before that."

Bricu rolls another cigarette. "Like who?"

"Ever since y'gave her that... plagued sample. I don't know the other. Y're wife, mayhaps? Someone terribly bloody polite."

Bricu nods and reaches for Smokey's Lighter.

"Dunno who," says Pill. "Prissy wench, your friend."

"I'm not friends with prissy wenches--but mind yer tongue 'bout Threnny, or we don't have a conversation anymore."

"Don't you tell me what to not talk about, tosser! You're not the one spouting off all Northron."

"Oh, I set the rules now." Bricu continues over Davien's snort. "Any shite happens ta me, me folk know who ta look for."

"You want a war? I can give it to ya," says Pill.

He ticks off points on his fingers. "Kiljaden's back in the Nether, Kael is dead. Both sides are still itchin' ta fight. Knights make bloody briliant martyrs." Bricu lights up. "Then do it."

"The both of 'ee, hush." Davien sounds vexed.

"Plenty of shite happened to me, didn't see me playing hero," mutters Pill, but she subsides.

"That's cause yeh lack the flash. Speak up Stonemantle. Yeh think I did this shite?"

"We get nowhere if y're arguin' an' tusslin'. Aye, I do."

"Hurry it up then."

"Pill's speakin' in someone else's tongue. Yours. Someone else's before it. No one else's before y'enlisted her services."

"This other tongue, what was its accent?"

Davien drops her Northern completely. "Like someone who'd been born and bred in Stormwind, perhaps. She liked calling people 'dear.'"

"Prissy too," adds Pill. "All sweet words and venom underneath."

"But Prissy?" Bricu ashes part of his cigarette. "Then me?"

"Aye," says Pill.

"Any words in-between?"

"Nothin. Someone else before... but no one between ya and the damn little miss polite tea and crumpets and by the way there is poison in there."

"Think--just a day or so o'different words. Or even an hour?"

"Dunno. Was quiet for a long bit. Was odd, after Prissy bein there fa so long."

"How many weeks ago?"

"BAH! I dunno!"

"Try. Try hadrer."

Davien looks at Bricu. "Y'think 'ee know something, Bittertongue?"

Pill fidgets, twisting her hands into knots. "DUNNO! Was bloody pickled most of the time, ya kin?"

"Maybe I do." Bricu watches them both. "First, either o'yeh come ta me city ta attack a few blokes a few weeks back?"

"Oh aye," says Pill.

"Who'd yeh kill?"

Pill giggles a bit. "Few people."

Davien blinks at her.

Bricu pulls another long drag from his smoke. "Who?" Bricu looks at Davien, a frown clearly on his face.

Pill's eyes narrow suspiciously. "Why ya askin?"

"'Cause that determines how much I help yeh."

Davien meets Bricu's gaze blandly. "Who's dead?"

Pill crosses her arms over her chest. "Killed someone Prissy pants had in her confidence. Always thinkin about him, she was. So if you wanna protest that, you can bugger off!"

Bricu finishes his smoke. "Troll with yeh when yeh murdered this bloke?"

Davien glances at Pill.

If Pill can see the clear I'm goin' t'kill 'ee on Davien's shadowed face, she doesn't acknowledge it. "Bah! Fyriat mighta been close by. Damn troll."

Bricu nods. "One last question--what color is that plague shite I gave yeh way back when?"

"Kinda greenish."

"Ooze an' drippy--but a wee bit thick like snot?"

"Aye. You know somethin. You knew Micah?" Fire leaps to the fingertips of one hand.

"Sounded ta me like yeh didn't know who--oi, yeh put that fire out 'fore I walk out."

Pill looks at Davien and then sighs. The flames die rather pitiful and she sulks against the door.

Davien nods at Pill.

Bricu says, "How'd yeh know Micah--yeh got a last name in that addled brain o'yers?"

"BAH! If I had that, I would roasted him sooner. Only came acrost him by accident."

"Probably wasn't an accident yeh git." Bricu turns to Davien. "I have ideas. I'll work on this shite, but it'll cost yeh."

Pill glares. "Don't yeh be talkin about cost!"

Davien raises an eyebrow. "Cost me?"

"Aye. Yeh an yers. I didn't do anythin' ta Firebrains here. But I think I know what it is. Hell, she may have even been set up by Prissy pants."

"You said that before," says Pill. "Sayin it don't make it so."

Davien eyes him. "An' what, y're chargin' us t'get out o'Pill's head?"

"Don't go blamin me that the whole agreement fell apart," says Bricu.

"I'm not fond o'blackmail."

"I'm not fond o'bein kidnapped, sheep'd an' havin' ta talk ta folk who murder family o'friends. But I can deal." They glare at one another. "Yer both smart enough ta see where this is goin'. One big favor--specially since this has ta do with someone whose hurtin' now. I wont' make yeh turn on yer Noxilite folk. Or Thrall."

Pill snarls. "Friends, family. YOU'RE IN MY HEAD, BLOODY WANKER!"

"If I was in yer head, ye'd be a lot more suave an' undercontrol right now. Yeh got an echo."

Davien speaks slowly. "Whatever this is, y'know how it works."

"Don't care what it is," says Pill, "I want it gone. And I ain't going to be indebted to the callous tosser who's in there."

"Murderous wenches don't get the moral high ground ta call anyone callous. An if I knew how it worked, yeh think I'd let flame brain here in me city? Now, lets all be a bit more civil an get ta business."

"Screw civil," says Pill. "Civil and nice is what got me in this mess."

Davien raises a placating hand, but Bricu ignores her. "No. Bein' sloppy ruined this for yeh."

"Oi, like you're a pristine figure of righteousness, Bittertongue"

"Never said I was. Just remindin' yeh were in the same dirt, Flames. Do we have a deal or do I walk?"

Davien doesn't commit. "Y've not laid out y'r terms. I'm not such a fool t'agree blindly."

Pill mutters, "Walk or stay, I'll be rememberin this."

"Best remember that I'm still helpin yeh. Right. Terms. Two small things. One, we're gonna work tagether on Uthas. Everything yeh find out, yeh share. I'll be equitable."

Pill hisses. "I was helping you, not that yeh remember that."

"Second favor... I'll call that in when I figure out this plague shite."

"Y'tell me the second favor. Y'don't get t'keep it secret." Davien grins.

"Lass, If I knew it, I'd ask for it." He turns back to Pill. "Och, I remember. I think yeh got even when yeh murdered Micah."

"BAH! Don't make him sound like he was innocent! He called me a pawn! He knew me!"

"Did he welcome death?"

"Darkness, what has that to do with anything?"

Bricu rolls another cigarette. "Answer the question. Did he fight back or just let it happen?"

"He fought back! I'm not an assasin! I just want to ask questions..."

"I wasn't rightly expectin' company tanight."

"I meant, I wanted to ask him questions... You I just wanted ta burn."

"How many question can yeh answer with a fireball?"

"BAH! NO! I only tried to get him alone. He got all shadowy dark. Magic slid off him."

"Really now? He burn yeh?"

Davien frowns at Pill.

"Only during tussle.." Pill suffles her feet. "Didn't mean to kill `im. I don't kill people... I burn all the time.. ain't never killed no one."

"Accident or yeh lose it?"

"Davien, you tell him. I don't just kill people."

A sympathetic look crosses Davien's face as she looks at Pill. Maybe even empathetic. "She doesn't. It's... easy t'forget what y're fire can do, sometimes. Or t'overestimate what someone else might withstand."

"She's got a prissy echo in her head--I wanna make sure its just an echo, not a command."

"She wasn't kiddin' when she said she was nearly pickled. It kept the voices at bay."

"Tain't got that echo," says Pill. "It's all Northern bravado, just like ma Da. All, Oi and tosser. I hate it! Don't want to be Elena. I want to be Pill! Don't like that girl, she died. She died twice."

Davien looks back at Bricu, waiting.

Bricu lights the aforementiond smoke. "Right. Yeh'll be Pill. An' yeh'll have ta give me the favor when she is Pill. Deal?"

Davien grits her teeth. "Fine."

"Oh stop the dramatics lass. It wont' be bad. S'not like yeh'll have ta lay on yer back an' think o'Lordaeron."

Davien stares at Bricu.

"It's two small favors. Yer not gonna have ta do anythin' against Thrall or yer own folk. The first is Uthas."

Pill snarls. "You're still keeping secrets and yet you wanna lay the Eye bare."

Davien is a bit calmer. "Y'don't know what dramatics are, sweetling. I said we had a deal. You an' me."

"If I wanted ta lay the Eye bare, I would," says Bricu.

"I'll not get into a pissin' contest with 'ee over whether or not y'd succeed at that."

"Good call. Last I checked, yeh didn't have the fluids for it."

Davien laughs, despite herself. "Y'ken my meanin'." Pill grinds her teeth and mutters under her breath

"That I do lass. No need for it. We're all civil here." Bricu forges ahead. "Look, a smal favor isn't even gonna be minor treason. The uthas shite is more important. An' yeh," he turns to Pill, "I'll fill yeh in a bit o''what I know. I touched teh bloody thing that did this. Drippin' with plauge it was. Someone lifted it from Miss Priss."


Pill cocks her head and then smiles viciously. "I want it"

Bricu looks at Davien, "this shite normal with her?"

"Aye. Those of us who've had the Lich King in our heads don't take too well t'havin' anyone else in there."

"I said i'd make yeh Pill. didn't say I'd give yeh a workin' plague."

"BAH! I don't want the plague."

Davien boggles at Bricu. "Why the hell'd we want a plague? She wants whatever y've got that's controllin' her."

Pill snarls. "Why would I want anyone else to suffer?"

"While that's good ta know, if its controllin' her, an' she gets her hands on it, what if the bloody thing gives her over ta the one voice yeh lot never wanna hear again? There are, o'course, other worries I have. Ta be fair--we'll settle this out tonight or tomorrow. I'll snag me an arcane lad, the lass in quesiton, her beau an' we'll meet yeh in Shattrath."

Davien asks, "So, what, y're plannin' t'keep this thing?"

"No lass. We're gonna make sur that destoryin' it is good for everyone. Cause I'm sure yeh'll be brinign more folk yerself."

Pill mutters. "Gonna be me, burnin it. Not any of yeh."

"IF that'll do it, aye, yeh'll be the one burnin' it."

"Aye, mayhaps we will bring more. I was rather hopin' y'd just hand it over, rather than makin' a spectacle." Davien continues, "Dealin' gets harder, the more people involved."

"She's got voices in her head. I'm playin' it safe. Like I said when yeh stopped actin' like a tosser, I do shite right. I wanna know what this is all 'bout an make sure no one gets their hands on it again. Ever."

Pill speaks up. "Pfft, this is doin Shite right?"

"Tell me how yeh got the voices in yer head again?"

Davien interjects. "By pokin' at something y'gave her."

Pill's eyes narrow suspiciously as she speaks at the same time as Davien. "Investigatin' stuff yeh gave me!"

Davien continues to talk as Pill subsides. "Y'have t'admit, Bittertongue, from here, it looks bloody suspicious, aye? Y'seek her out. Pill, specifically. An' ask her t'look at something y'won't let y'r kin touch. An' then the voices. Aye, y'can chalk it up t'accident, an' mayhaps it *was*, but when we've nothin' else t'go on..." Pill shuffles her feet as Davien speaks, looking a bit embarassed.

"She's got a tongue. She can answer. 'sides, I'm bringing yeh lot in ta see it get ruined."

"I'll give 'ee the benefit o'the doubt, foolish as it is t'do. But mayhaps the right thing is t'simply help, rather than make deals."

Pill growls angrily. "Oh now you want to hear me speak. Bloody funny wantin ta do it now, when before y'ad rather me not"

"Just answr me question Flames, how'd yeh get the voices in yer head?"

"Birdbrain knocked a beaker over and it fell on ma hand. Just a little bit." Pill rubs at her hand. "He didn't mean nothing by it... He's a bit scattered and he saw a bug."

"Any plan o'nine woudl rely more than' somethin' called Birdbrain."

Davien speaks quietly. "Y've scored y'r points, Bittertongue. Does it help matters?"

Pill mutters softly. "He's not a thing."

"Aye. It should prove--sorry lass, he--that I didn't do a bloody thing ta set yeh lot up, but I'll fix it. Mean's I'm square ta deal with. Meanin', I don't just got the benefit o'the doubt cause I'm handsome. It means I earned it." Pill frowns at Bricu and then smiles, a touch of a real one. Then she cackles.

"The point is, we had a trust between us, once. It's eroded a bit, aye, circumstances bein' what they are. But cuttin' deals..." Davien shrugs. "I'd rather we deal in good faith, rather than in favors."

"Spare me the good faith talks. I'm not the one that stormed inta yer city--twice--an' did the kidnappin'. It's because i'm fond o'yeh both that were een talkin'.

Davien grins wryly. "We came in here thinkin' y'were controllin' her intentionally. Y'wouldn't be likely t'have it out over a cup o'tea in that case."

"Now, yeh'll hear from me 'bout when we can meet again. If its gona take too long ta get me ace, then I'll meet without 'im"

"The sooner the better. This is... unkind t'her. She's been waitin' too long already."

"I agree. But I'll not be sloppy 'bout it. Pleasure seein' yeh both. Now if yeh'll excuse me, I've got a wife ta see."

Davien looks at Pill for a moment, then nods. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about the sheepin'."

Pill spouts off quickly. "I'm not."

"Its worth a lot. Och, yeh will be one day Pill."

"LIES! Never be sorry. Sheepin is fun."

Davien snickers. "All right, sweetling. We should let him out. An' get out before his army descends upon us."

Pill continues"Sides, is better than fightin... Didn't want to burn ya too much" She adds the last bit contritely.

"There's probably one or two outside. helps havin' nocturnal friends."

Pill moves from in front of the door. "There's a goblin in yer futures. Till then, try not ta talk too much Pill. Yeh don't sound right--more like a gobshite."

[Bricu]

((for the record: Bricu chimes in at the end and says, "I'm alright. OFf ta bed. Got a new job." IF anyone wants to RP off of this, I don't have any concerns. Check with Pill and Threnn first. Keep one thing in mind--you don't find Bricu that night. OTher than the broadcast message, there is no communique's with bricu. Given that Davien and Pill portal out, catching them is impossible.))

[itanyablade]

”Till then, try not ta talk too much Pill. Yeh don’t sound right—more like gobshite.”

She hated to agree with that light-blinded idiot, but he was right. Everything about sitting around the fire with Noxilite had been wrong. She had only been able to stay a short time before it had been too much to take. Even thinking about it now, her fingers clenched and unclenched trying to expend the nervous energy that coursed through her.

Even killing trolls had done little to curb her frustration and Kansin, stupid arrogant troll, had not been there to harass. She was left with Azhag, who had the conversational talents of a kodo, and others. Well she disliked most of them, horrible things that they were. Smooth and confident and arrogant bastards all of them, well maybe not Naicella, she did not talk much. Astan too, quiet bull, Caargon too. Ambika was just trollish, she supposed. Awanata was pretty nice, for a giant owl. That Matsujin however, he was just a mean old bastard. And the elves, ugh. She just knew they were mocking her, all prissy with their stolen light.

“Oi!”
“BAH!” She snarled in frustration as the word escaped her lips without thought. She hauled out a hoop and busily set to embroider something, trying to direct herself into something that would not involve fire. Davien was already annoyed that she had accidently killed someone. It would not do to light something in the room on fire, not do at all.

She picked up a wandering cat. Davien had strictly limited which pets she could bring into their small room. Most of the were still in her expanded shed in Hammerfall, but she had a couple of cats, Birdbrain and Squash in the room. She petted the cat and rubbed her cheek against its smooth fur. The resulting purr was calming, more calming than her forgotten needlework. With a sigh, she put the contented cat in her lap and picked the hoop back up. Sensing the change in her mood, Birdbrain leaped onto the bed with a dramatic “meep.” He was followed quickly by the other cat who snuggled beneath his feathers. Squash slithered his way to the bed, but refused to join the others. The silly little thing continued to try to keep his dignity, but one tendril of vine snuck up and lay against her bare foot.

“Yeh kin, why I am not so happy `bout this?” She whispered to them all softly. “Elena’s done been dead an’ buried fer ages. I don’ ba wantin ta go back ta that.” She sighed softly. “Don’ wanna be his little lass na more.”

She had not heard Davien come in, had barely noticed it, but it still felt good to hear her words. “Ah, Sweetling, y’re just our Pill, ya kin?”

“Aye.” She turns head towards Davien, giving a half smile. “Even if I get the echo of that tosser outta my skull, I’ll still ba Jest’s lass. Funny things remind yeh of the truth. Maybe it’aint just a bad thing? Elena… I always liked animals.” She ran a hand over the cat in her lap. “Wait? Has yeh heard from t’light-blinded fool?”

“Aye.”

She cackled; she could not help it. “Maybe I’ll bring him a pair of socks. I’ve got some wool here somewhere.”

[itanyablade]

Shattrath City, the third change of the guard.

The players:
Noxilite:
Corspilla, called Pill, a forsaken mage with someone else's voice in her head.
Davien Stonemantle, her friend, also a forsaken mage
Linedan, a tauren warrior
Rashona, a tauren druidess
Father Destril Redwing, a Sin'dorei priest

The Wildfire Riders:
Bricu Bittertongue, a human paladin in the possession of a very interesting gem.
Fingold Edour, a human paladin
Fells Drachmas, a human rogue
Annalea al'Cair, a human priestess


A small group walks towards the World’s End Inn. A tall Forsaken woman, dressed casually in a short top and long skirt leads another Forsaken woman, two Tauren and a red-haired Sin’dorei. The group pauses at the entranceway.

“BAH!” The smaller Forsaken woman blurts out, waving her hands in the air for emphasis. “Let's get movin!”


From inside, she is answered by a scruffy, but handsome, human sitting with his back against the wall to the left of the door. “Alright.” He turns to face the group and then nods to another man walking in with a woman at his arm. The newcomer is wearing full plate armor and carrying a mace and shield strapped to his back.

The man in the bar, Bricu Bittertongue, greets everyone. “Oi.”

The group moves fully into the inn. The smaller Forsaken woman, Corspilla, trails the taller one, muttering darkly under her breath. The Tauress, Rashona, nods cautiously at Bricu. Her tail is twitching slightly, and something that's not quite light and not quite motion skitters occasionally over her fur, as if she's on the verge of shifting shape. The armored man, Fingold, removes his helmet as his female companion nods at Bricu.
Pill trails after Davien, muttering under her breath. The Tauren Warrior, Linedan, also wearing full plate, walks across the room, but still in hearing range. He leans against a wall and does not sit down. Fingold watches the deaders and Tauren with caution.

The woman, Annalea al’Cair speaks, “Evenin’, brother-mine.”


"Evenin' me favorite sister. Yeh got the rotten thing?" His eyes slip from Anna long enough to acknowledge Rashona with a smile and a nod. All the while, the taller Forsaken woman, Davien, looks around at the group gathering around the table where Bricu is sitting.

“I do. It gives me the creeps. You want it now?”

Before Bricu can respond, Fingold interrupts. “Evenin', Bittertongue. Everything alright?” As he speaks, another woman, Fells, slinks in after them, tugging her tabard into place and eyes darting about shiftily. She should have brought more dragons.

Seeing Fells, Pill exclaims, “Oi!” She then points and cackles at Fells, earning herself a frown from the stealthly woman leaning against the doorway with crossed arms. Fingold snickers at them both.

Bricu speaks to Anna, “Not yet.” He salutes is response to a nod from the Tauren warrior before Linedan goes back to scanning the room, warily. Bricu puts his rapier on the table. “Seem’s I’m a mite underdressed.”

Rashona slips a small bottle into Linedan’s hands and murmurs something to him in Taurahe before she moves swiftly between Bricu and Pill. Fingold motions at the group, asking “those the folks you’re expecting, Bricu?” At the same time, Davien removes her floppy hat and drops a curtsy.

Corspilla makes a noise like a kettle releasing steam, while the Sin’dorei, Destril, keeps a careful eye on her and the rest of his companions.

Bricu answers Fingold, “S'bout it.”

Davien gestures to her companions, introducing each one. “Bittertongue, 'ee know Linedan,” Linedan nods at Bricu again. “Rashona an' Pill. This here is Father Destril Redwing.”
Davien points at the blood elf, as Pill crosses her arms over her chest.

“Any relation ta that deader Father?”


Destril quirks an eyebrow at Bricu, extending a hand to shake out of habit. “No relation, I shouldn't think.” Destril nods at Bricu. The priest appears to have no other weapon present but a sturdy mace, and his handshake was businesslike but not overly strong.



Pill snarls at the priest. “BAH! Don’t be shakin the tosser’s hand!” Fingold keeps one hand at the hilt of his mace, standing up straight. Bricu extends his hand, and shakes Des' arm in a forearm clasp, looking for a hidden weapon.

Davien continues speaking, ignoring the interruptions. “And I know y'rself an' the sneaky one. An' mayhaps...” She peers at Fingold. “Y’re familiar.”

Bricu introduces each of his companions, “Fingold Edour, Annalea Al'Cair an' Fells Drachmas.”

Fingold carefully inspects the witches, Tauren and Elf, looking for any indication of hidden blades beneath their clothes. He then nods to Davien, who focuses briefly on Anna as she is introduced. “Ah, now, that's why the lass looks familar.” Fells nods quickly, as she is introduced. She is convinced that this whole situation just seems ready to go wrong. Annalea watches the introductions, nodding at names.



Pill hones in on Fells right away. “It's the little scaredy girl!” She sticks her tongue out at Fells.



“I ain’t scairt!” Fells makes a Very Inappropriate Gesture™ at Pill.



Bricu attempts to intervene. “Oi! Remember--we're all civil here.”



“OI! Y’re a damn liar!”



“Yer a damn rotter!”



Bricu speaks at the same time as Fells. “O'course I'm a liar, I'm a paladin.”



“Not you, tosser, that one!” Pill points at Fells. Fingold keeps a close eye on the twitchy deader’s hands.





Fells 's fingers go white where they clench at her arms. “Rrgh.”



Rashona squeezes her eyes shut as Davien rests a hand on Pill’s shoulder. “Easy, sweetling." Linedan hasn't moved but his hands are at his side and his eyes never stop scanning the room.



Bricu presses on, “Now. Let's get ta business. You lot get a hold o'the one with the echo in her head.”



Fingold tries to soothe Fells. “Easy, Drachmas.” Pill subsides with a smirk on her face directed at Fells.


Pill once more sounds like a kettle full of steam as Davien continues speaking to her. “No instigatin'. We get this done, an' go home.”



“Oh Fine.”





Fells settles back, grumbling crossly under her breath. The red whelpling at her shoulder seems muchly amused.

Fingold leans in and whisper to Anna, "You see -anything- suspicious, squeeze my hand. Aye?"

Annalea winks at Fin. "Oh, count on it."

Pill settles on the floor right there and hauls a large pumpkin out of her pack. Rashona is somewhat boggled by the pumpkin. "You brought vegetables?"

"Squash!" says Pill, giggling as the pumpkin opens its eyes and spreads out leafy tendrils.

"Now," says Bricu, "I take it yeh lot got someone here skilled 'nough ta figure out how to ruin this thing?"

Davien blinks at the pumpkin a moment before grinning at the paladin. "If I can't melt it, I'm thinkin' Lin can smash it." Linedan nods in assent.

Fells 's eyebrows raise.

Bricu smirks. "Now here I was thinkin' the Eye was a bit classier than that. Our expert had other....responsibilties."

"An' what was y'r expert goin' t'do?"

Rashona mutters "Oh, Mother!" under her breath and makes sure her hooves are well away from the tendrils. She snorts. "Class doesn't get the job done."

"Annie, be a dear an' set that rotten thing in front o'me." Bricu beckons the blonde woman over.

"Was it her man, then?" Pill nods at Fells. "Cause he was probably scairt to." She cackles.

"Well," says Bricu. "The expert was gonna critique--that's what experts tend ta do." He peers at Rashona. "Class works for me."

The tauress shrugs.

Destril speaks up. "It may need to be a co-operative melting effort in this case, Davien."

Davien nods. "I mean, aye, I'll try breakin' the spells, but I don't think I'd care t'have whatever vessel y've got left empty at the end. Waitin' for somethin' else, y'ken?"

Fells' dust-colored eyes narrow at Pill. "Laz ain't no coward."

Fingold keeps an eye on the witch with the pumpkin, staying still. Annalea opens her pack and pulls a leather pouch out of it. She sets it on the table before Bricu. "It's been giving me the creeps since bloody Stormwind."

"We're not waitin'."

Rashona eyes the pouch sharply. "If you can do it stylishly, so much the better. But I'd rather see it done crudely than not done at all."

"Crudely done leaves bits that shouldn't be meddled with," says Bricu.

"Mm. Perhaps."

Pill ignores them, responding to Fells. "Pfft, is so. And I'll light him a'fire." She straightens the pointed hat on her head.

Fingold takes a quick glance at the pouch, seeing nothing noteworthy yet.

Bricu says "OI! FLAMES."

"Wut?" Pill looks up from the floor.

"Pill. Calmly, aye?" says Davien, as Bricu asks, "Yeh want yer voice back or yeh want to banter northern style till yeh rot ta dust?"

"T'aint doin nothin. Just sittin' here, playin with Squash."

"M'gonna put a vote in fer the not-banterin'." Fells raises a finger. "M'wedded, I cast Laz's vote fer him, too."

Pill sticks her tongue out at Fells again.

Davien snorts. "Northern style keeps us here a year, one-betterin'." Fingold grins at the not quite twitchy witch.

Fells raises another finger. "'Cosia's vote makes three."

"Right," says Bricu. "Everyone sit down. Pretend we're all friends."

"I gots dragons too. I can keep goin'."

Bricu eyes the rogue. "'Cosia here?"

"Y'addled? 'Course she ain't."

Linedan stays standing back against the wall diagonally across from Bricu. Rashona pulls out a chair and sits gingerly on the edge.

Bricu looks at Linedan. "Oi, Bull, yeh guardin' the door or yer folks?"

"If your dragon gets a vote, then my pets do too," says Pill.

Fells says, "That pumpkin don' git t'vote. It's a ruttin' pumpkin."

"OI!" says Pill, in Bricu's tone. "His name is Squash, wench."

Davien glances between them both. "The two of 'ee tallyin' votes is as much prolongin' as the banterin'."

"You think your friend with the pointy hat can relax just a bit, miss? Better if everyone is calm." Fingold eyes Davien.

"Sweet Light, I'll toss the both of 'ee outside," says Davien.

"Och,keep 'em," says Bricu. "Long as no one stabs the other or sets someone on fire."

Fells shuts up swiftly, behaving and not stabbing anything. Pill sulks, muttering under her breath. "I'm calm, damn wanker."

Fingold turns to Fells. "Thanks, Fells."

Destril sighs, buries his face in his palm for a moment, then turns to Davien. "Davien...please. Tell me what I need to do. I want our Pill back. And soon."

Davien smiles at Destril. "This is what we call pleasantries, love. We'll get her back." The blood elf grumbles to himself quietly, but accepts Davien's word and settles down.

"Oi!," says Pill. "I'm fine. 'cept for that."

"Strewth Bull, I figure'd yeh at least give me some credit," sighs Bricu. He shrugs and empties the necklace on the table. "This is it."

Annalea shrinks back from it a bit. Pill hitches up on her knees to look at the necklace from the edge of the table.

"That green shite is plague," he continues. "Or somethin' simliar."

"Don't bloody touch it," says Annalea.

Fingold blinks at the oozing gem.

"I HEAR it." Pill grips the table with two bony hands.

"The bloke who owned it before musta been in the cult. High rankin'."

Rashona spreads her hands slightly, ready to use any healing magics she has. "Hear it, Pill?"

"Cult?" asks Davien.

Bricu looks at Linedan. "Yer girl Pill reaches for it, we both stop her." Bricu elbows Fin in the side. "You too."

Destril gazes wide-eyed at the sludge on the table. Linedan nods at Bricu. Rashona nods at Annalea. The priestess eyes her for a moment, then nods in return.

Pill snarls at Bricu, but merely taps her fingers on the table. He winks at her.

Fingold grabs the hilt of his mace tightly and nods.

Pill says, "Oi! I'm being a good lass. But I wants it."

"Birdbrain knocked over yer beaker o'this onta yer hand, right Pill?" says Bricu.

"Was a bit more liquidy, that stuff, but yeah." Pill cocks her head and looks at Davien. Rashona listens with a frown of thought. "I thinks I could make the stuff, if I hold that. Don't think I want to touch, but I want ta."

Fingold leans in and whispers to Anna: "If anything happens, get behind me. Please."

Davien watches Pill carefully. "Y'll not touch it."

"I'm not!" Pill wraps her hands in her robe and rests her nose on the edge of the table, starin at the gem.

Fingold watches Pill carefully, focusing on her arms.

Annalea raises an eyebrow at Fin. "Oi. I'm a big girl."

Fingold sighs. "Alright." Annalea pats him reassuringly.

"Aye. Cult o'the Damned," says Bricu. "Still around, Stonemantle--just like the Defias. Just underground."

Destril quietly moves to stand behind Pill as Linedan asks in Orcish, "So what do we do with it?"

"Pill said she heard two voices," says Bricu.

Davien nods grimly. "It doesn't surprise me. Groups like that tend t'stay around. For now, we figure out what's causin' Pill problems, an' we stop it."

Squash hisses at Destril. He glances down at the gourd. "Calm down, little fruit. I'm not going to harm her."

Bricu gestures at the gem. "This is causin' it. Now yeh wizardly types figure out what is behind the control."

"That's what I was drivin' at, Bittertongue."

"Pfft," says Pill. "Who cares? 'Tis too pretty."

Fells frowns at the necklace from her place at the door. That tiny thing is causing all this fuss?

Davien says, "Pretty can be deadly."

Linedan looks at Corspilla. Rashona eyes her sidelong.

"Davien, lass, I'm just bein' a clarifiyin' gentleman here," says Bricu.

Fingold grins at Davien. She winks back.

Pill has noticed her Tauren audience. "Stop starin' at me! I'm fine, y'ear?"

Davien says, "Right, then."

Pill sits on her butt with a grunt, keeping the necklace out of sight.

"You can understand why we'd be a bit concerned with your reactions just now, Pill." Rashona shifts shapes just long enough to purr reassuringly at Corspilla.

"Pill said a drop got on her hands," says Bricu. "Imagine more o'that shite on someone."

"Aye," says Pill, looking sulkily at the floor.

"I try not to, paladin," says Rashona.

Davien says, "Mind if I look, with my wizardly ways, then?"

"Just the words I wanted ta hear, Davien. An' Rashona, yeh should. It makes our disagreements seem so much more petty." Bricu winks at Rashona, who chuckles reluctantly.

"I do try t'be accomodatin' every now an' then." Davien closes her eyes and holds out her hands, feeling the arcane currents around the necklace.

Rashona surreptitiously casts a flicker of healing magic over Davien. In case. She chuckles reluctantly at Bricu.

Fingold ignores the witch, and focuses on watching the gem, looking for any activity.

"I can't tell what kinda gem that is with all the ...goo," says Bricu.

Pill sighs and tries to keep looking at the floor. Her fingers twitch constantly.

"The goo is... Aye. It's the plague, or nearly so." Davien keeps weaving her arcane.

Fingold relaxes a little and lets go of the hilt of his mace.

Destril reaches down to put a comforting hand on Corspilla's shoulder, takes another look at Squash, thinks better of it, and withdraws his hand. Pill knocks Squash on this pumpkin head as he hisses again. "BAH!"

Rashona narrows her eyes and mutters "Blight it."

Davien opens her eyes and frowns. For a split second, her eyes dim.

Rashona says, "Davien?"

"Threads o'shadow. An' some kind o'connection, like someone was modifyin' portal magic, in a sense."

Destril looks to Davien concernedly. "Shadow?"

"Aye, plenty of it."

"Like my shadow, or different?"

Annalea frowns at Bricu for a moment. "Here's your five second warnin', brother-mine." She takes a step to the side and pulls the shadows around her to look at the gem.

"Really?" asks Pill. "Sounds kinda nifty."

Fingold looks at Anna and blinks. "Anna...?"

Fells frowns and echoes Fingold: "Anna...?"

Pill looks up, though she can only see the bottom of the table.

Bricu says, "Fells, can yeh see the cut an' quality o'the gem?"

Annalea says, "Just seeing if there's a resonance."

"Anna, what are y--... please be careful." Fingold squeezes Anna's hand.

"Not from here,"Fells says, from her nice spot by the door.

Rashona is watching the humans' body language closely.

Pill cackles. "You scairt?"

"No." Fells glares.

"Then look at it!"

Rashona snorts. "I'm scared."

"I'm all right," says Annalea.

Pill shushes Rashona.

Davien speaks absently, still studying."No instigatin'."

"NOT!"

"Y'are."

Pill pouts. "Humph."

Fingold goes back and forth between watching Anna and the loud witch.

"I'm wonderin' if breakin' that distance is the first thing," says Davien. "Like y'r shadow, Des. I think."

"Rashona,yeh get any vibe off that shite?" asks Bricu.

Rashona shrugs uneasily. "Corruption, and death out of season. Nothing you hadn't noticed."

"Yeah, like ours. Darker, though," Annalea says to the mage and the blood elf.

"Buggery," says Bricu.

Rashona continues, "And it...*wants*. Like trees want to grow or wolves want to feed, but wrong." She looks annoyed and abashed at once. "And that's not helpful in the least."

Destril says, "Well, that's at least something. If it's like that, perhaps I...we...can un-weave it."

Fingold mumbles a prayer.

Bricu says, "It keeps makin' the shite. How can someone wear it an' not be..."

"'tis indeed helpful," Davien says to Rashona. "We know it's not stupid."

Rashona nods at Destril. "I don't know any magic but a touch of healing, but what I have is at your service." She glances at Bricu. "Perhaps it knows its own."

"How can you wear it and not be plagued?" Anna says. "You have something to counteract it."

Pill sighs. "Burn it or let me have it!"

"NO," says Davien, as Rashona says, "Pill." Fingold reaches for his mace, again.

"All this ditherin' is makin ma crazy."

Destril nods at Rashona. "Given the peculiarities of this, I have a suspicion this may take both sides of my particular coin to put to rights."

Fells says, "Y'was a'ready crazy, rotter."

Annalea is still mulling over Bricu's question. "A spell, or an antidote or..." She trails off, lips moving as she thinks, not paying attention to the tension.

"Maybe your impatient friend can wait outside, Bricu?" Fingold eyes the loud witch in the pointy hat.

Bricu says, "Someone get us some water."

"Patience, Pill. As a cure, it beats throwing you to a pack of spiders." Rashona smiles wryly at Pill.

"Humph," says Pill.

"Bah, as long as Fells is here, she won't leave," says Bricu.

"Not crazy," says Pill.

"She's gotta prove she's not scared."

Pill scowls at Bricu

Rashona snorts. "Mother, no. You're quick-tempered and a bit obsessive, but you're far from crazy."

Fells mirrors Corspilla.

"Yer not in competition ta me," says Bricu, "just each other. Now, we need some water."

"I'll get it." Annalea lets the shadows go for a moment and darts out towards the bar.

Pill cackles at Rashona before she answers Bricu. "With her? Little miss mousey? She shuddered last time I talk't to her."

"You know her, Drachmas?" asks Fingold.

Fells says, "More'n I'd like. Met her the last summer."

Annalea returns with a pitcher of water and a couple of glasses of varying sizes. "Wasn't sure what you wanted."

Rashona digs in her pack and hands a small pouch to Davien. "Water for the priestess if she needs it. Grizz and I have been trying to find pure sources to help Pill - elementals, some of the cleaner wells in Outland..." She trails off with a shrug.

Davien grins at Rashona and passes them across to Bricu. "Shall I do any conjurin'?"

"No-the water is for washin'," he says. "In case we use gloves or some shite."

"Don't anyone else touch it... all I need is to be eatin' grass or tremblin' at the sight of m'self," Pill cackles again.

Fingold says, "If anything needs cleansing, Bittertongue, just let me know. I can give it a try."

"Finny," says Bricu, "It might be yeh, me an' the Slick ear."

Fingold nods at Bricu.

"Get ready ta call on the Light."

"Alright, then."

Bricu raises his voice. "SO, yeh lot, we got this rock that oozes plague. Shadowy an' connected ta nasty things."

Fells grumbles. "Wonnerful."

Fingold lets go of his mace, stretches his fingers. "Ready when you are, Bittertongue."

"We can smash it--an risk gettin' goo everywhere."

"Get on with it!" Pill says.

"We can try an' burn it..."

Linedan leans in to speak to Davien in Orcish, "What would you have me do to help?"

Bricu is still speaking. "Or---hush now, Flames---do the fire. What do yeh lot suggest?"

"Burn it," says Rashona, wishing for a shaman to talk to. "Fire can purify."

"Maybe people can take a few steps back, first of all. Just in case." Fingold looks around the crowd.

Fells raises fingers from her perch by the door. "What 'bout lava? We gots a bad runnin' tally with volcanoes, but..."

Davien answers Linedan in Orcish. "Just be ready, love."

Pill doesn't move from her spot on the floor.

"I can only protect so many people, witch. You may want to step back, else you get more of that ooze on you." Fingold eyes Pill.

"Oi," says Bricu. "Fellsie has a brilliant idea."

"BAH!" says Pill.

Davien says, "Come back, now, Pill, just a few steps."

"Not movin'."

"'Course I do," says Fells.

Pill says, "Pfft."

Fingold faces Bricu. "She's on her own," he signals at the stubborn deader.

"There's a very active volcano just south east o'here." Bricu nods.

"How very bloody dramatic," says Pill.

Rashona takes bear form with every intention of squeezing between Pill and the table as Davien asks, "Des, y'want t'throw a shield on her?"

Pill stands to her feet.

Destril nods and tosses a sparkling field of light around Corspilla. "That won't last long....do what you're going to do." He then takes cover behind the bear.

"Oi," says Bricu, "I really don't like where this is headed."

"Bloody Hell!" Pill snarls at Destril. "Annoyin'."

Fingold starts reciting a prayer, his eyes half-closed.

"Well, if she won't step back..." says Davien.

Destril turns to Pill. "You bet I am. I only annoy the real Pill, so I'm going to keep aggravating you."

"Oi! Stop treatin me like a child." Pill scowls at Destril.

Rashona makes an amused rumble at the priest. Annalea eyes him thoughtfully, then grins and puts a similar shield around Fin.

"Oh come now...if I were treating you like a child, Pill, I'd have changed your nappy and put you down for a nap by now." Destril grins slyly at Corspilla.

Davien stifles a snicker.

Linedan ignores the byplay around Pill and looks at Bricu after hearing Davien's translation. "Shadowmoon Valley?" he asks.

Pill seems to struggle between anger and laughter, she finally throws her hands up in frustration.

Davien nods at Linedan, "Aye, seems t'be what he's hintin' at."

Bricu points to his left hand. "Gul'dan. Oi, Fellsie's idea was the best so far."

Fingold sighs and stops reciting the prayer. "Are we doing this or not?"

"Shouldn't we try breakin' the enchantment first?" asks Davien. "I don't want t'think o'what might happen, throwin' that into a fire with Pill still receivin'."

"Give it a shot," says Bricu.

Rashona says, "I agree with Davien. There's fel magic everywhere in Shadowmoon...I don't know if it would cancel out the corruption here or make it stronger."

Fingold nods. "All right, then."

Linedan nods at Rashona.

Pill looks at the necklace again and fidgets. "Do somethin'..."

Fingold breathes in slowly, and starts praying to the Light.

Bricu says, "I'm not sure this shite is fel--more shadow. But...any folks left o'Illidan might get miffed."

Davien watches the gem as Fingold prays. Fells' jaw clenches. Now would be as good a time to run as any. Good thing she's not scared or anything. Rashona is twitchy, eyes flicking between Pill and the priests. Destril wraps the shadow around himself, to better be able to see the threads of power around the gem. Annalea looks between the necklace and Fin, ready to do...something.

"BAH!" says Pill. She probably would reach for the temptation, but she is distracted by a vine wrapped around her ankle.

Fingold's praying grows slightly louder, as he raises his hands. Linedan continues to stand still, although his hand has crept closer to the huge dragon-headed mace on his belt.

Destril speaks softly, the shadows giving his voice an odd tinny sort of echo. "Should I try the unweaving thing, Davien?"

Fingold eyes Bricu, and signals at the gem. "Do it."

"Bugger," says Bricu as Davien raises a questioning eyebrow at him. He calls upon the Light and channels his healing magic, then nods at her.

"Aye, Des. Carefully."

Rashona shifts back in case she's needed to heal. Fingold, still praying, aims his hands at Bricu.

Destril nods, and reaches for the threads of shadow...not too close to where they connect with the gem. Slowly and carefully, he attempts to unweave just one thread at first.

Pill scorches the tendril, cursing as she burns herself in the process. Her hands clench and unclench spasmodically, as she stares at the gem. Rashona sends a puff of wind at Corspilla; not an offensive magic, just an attempt to get her attention. Pill swats distractedly at the wind.

Davien takes up the arcane and prods gently at the gem with it, looking for weak spots.

Destril works the single thread of shadow away from the main tapestry of the gem. It coils itself around his fingers as though trying to work its way back to the rest of the shadow. Quickly, he moves his left hand away from the gem. "Somebody take this thing and dispel it or something."

Fingold shakes his head, and directs one hand at Destril, keeping the other one towards Bricu.

Bricu rolls a cigarette and lights it. "Right then."

Fingold blinks.

Annalea pulls the shadows around herself and joins her efforts to Destril's, pushing at the shadow.

Destril says, "You take the warp-threads, lady..I'll take the woof."

Annalea grins. "Good thing I know my way around weaving, hmm?"

Destril nods.

Bricu calls up the light to shield him and looks at Fin. Fingold does the same, keeping an eye on Anna.

Bricu calls upon the light and lays his hands on the Rotten Necklace. Fingold raises a hand at Bricu and prays to the Light for him.

Pill snarls at Bricu and then looks stunned as she does so. Rashona eyes her worriedly.

Destril continues to unravel and dispel the shadowy threads, one by one. Linedan glances uneasily at Rashona, then back to Pill and the necklace. Fingold turns his focus to the gem, as his prayer gets considerably louder.

"Go t'her, Rashona?" says Davien. "Keep y'r shield ready, Lin, aye?"

Rashona nods at Davien and takes up a position next to Pill, one hand on her shoulder for comfort and the other ready to call up healing.

The room fills with Shadow and goes dark.

Pill take a few stumbling steps back and then trips over Squash in the dark.

"Bloody, godsdamned..." Davien calls bright fire into her hands, holding the flame in her palm.

Fells slips into the shadows naturally, silent and still. There's quickly a blade in her hands. Rashona reflexively takes cat form and snarls. Fingold continues with the prayer, eyes closed, unaware of the sudden changes.

Destril instinctively throws up another shield, this time around himself, then shakes his head and returns to his raveling, working more slowly now that he must go by touch alone.

Linedan rips the shield off his back onto his left arm, mace off his belt in the right. Rashona tries to nudge Corspilla to a safer spot near Linedan.

The shadows in front of Destril slowly begin to part.

Pill struggles a bit, cursing darkly, "Mine, Mine, Mine!"

Fingold slowly opens his eyes, as his Divine shield fades away. " ...the nether."

Rashona mutters "-trying to HELP, Pill-"

Fells says, "ROTTER, don' MOVE."

Rashona hisses at Fells.

"...is it still there?" Annalea keeps probing at the shadows where the gem was last seen.

Fingold reaches for his mace as Pill gathers magic around her. "DON'T!"

"Don't you tell me what to do!" says Pill.

Bricu knocks over the water and dries his hands on his tabard. "Bugger,bugger,bugger."

Rashona very slowly remembers she's supposed to be bipedal, shifts back, and half-bows to Fingold, spreading her hands to try and indicate harmlessness. Linedan moves to a position behind Corspilla to her right.

"Easy, now, loves," says Davien. "No need t'get hostile because it's dark."

Rashona takes a careful breath. "Thank you, Davien. I...overreacted." She eyes Pill and adds, "I think."

Pill breathes heavily and then shudders.

Destril continues to unravel the weave, thread by thread. His hands are beginning to shake...no, he is beginning to shiver, as the tips of his ears are quivering, too. Through the shadow that shields him, Destril's breath puffs in a tiny cloud of winter's day steam.

"Don't like this," says Pill.

Fingold still holding his mace, exhales.

"Nor do I," says Rashona.

"Neither do I," adds Davien. "Bittertongue, are 'ee all right?"

"We's fine now, folk. Everone's fine. S'jest a tick dark," Fells says, even and quiet.

"Kitty... This is bad," says Pill.

Davien passes a hand near where the paladin was seated. Rashona watches Destril carefully, afraid to break his concentration.

"Not just dark..." Pill says. "Whispers in the dark."

Davien speaks softly. "What do 'ee hear, Pill?"

Rashona nods at Pill. "We'll stop them if we can."

Fingold walks towards the table, pours some water on his hands and rubs them together rapidly.

"Stay away from the table!" Pill throws a small bit of sparks at Fin. "BACK BACK BACK!"

Rashona keeps herself between Pill and the table. "Is that you speaking, Pill, or...?"

Annalea catches Fin's shoulder and tries to haul him back.

"I'm just washing myself, you lunatic," Fingold says to Pill.

"No," says Annalea. "Something's..."

The room brightens as Destril's un-weaving of the shadow works.

"Look! Light blinded idiot!" Pill points at the table.

Fingold walks away from the it quickly.

The table upon which the necklace sits begins to grow soft. The smell of mildew overpowers the tobacco.

Fells holds her breath. Destril 's teeth are chattering, and his breath comes gasping in great steamy puffs. The blood elf's hands are vibrating, and drops of sweat fall from his brow and ears to the table.

Pill whispers to Rashona "Elf needs help, I'm thinkin."

Davien turns from the table to Destril. "Des, y'can let it go, now."

Fingold says, "...you, elf. Are you alright?"

Rashona is straining her tenuous connection to the Earthmother to the utmost, but sends what magic she can Destril's way.

Destril's voice seems to come, tinny, from far away. "Is she safe, then?"

"NO! I'm bloody dangerous!" Pill cackles.

Fingold grunts. "This is not conducive in the least."

Rashona grins at Corspilla. "The terror of trees from here to Tarren Mill."

Annalea looks at Fingold. "Show me your hands."

"What do 'ee hear, Pill?" repeats Davien.

Fingold shrugs and hesitates, but ends up showing his hands to Anna. They seem just a little bit more pale than usual.

"Whispers and threats and ice and danger, but..." Pill nods and frowns at Des. "He's gonna break. I'm already kinda broken, don' wanna break no one else."

"Aye, let's get him in a chair," says Davien.

"Gold?" Fells pipes in with quick concern.

"Oi, where's the other idiot?" says Pill.

Fingold nods at Fells, "Aye?

Rashona digs yet another bottle out of her packs and passes it to Destril. "Drink. It may help."

The table contiues to rot from the corruption of the necklace.

Annalea mutters a prayer of cleansing and renewal on Fin, then takes some silverleaf from her belt pouch. "Chew that."

Fells nods quickly. "Nothin', nemmind. Watch fer Anna."

Annalea turns to Bricu and eyes him. "Don't think you get out of this. Threnny'd kill me. Let me see."

Fingold smiles at Fells. "'course."

Destril shakes his head, shifting his weight off the table as it groans under his lean. "Not done yet...not yet."

"Des! You stop that," says Pill.

Bricu stays out of Annalea's reach. "When we're done--oi, teh bloody table!" He looks pale.

"She's not soundin' very Northern..." Davien spins to see the table. "Get the bloody hell away from that."

"Tell him to stop, 's too much!" Fingold eyes Des.

Rashona chokes a bit from the stench of mildew, and backs hastily away.

Pill counterspells Destril. "I said you STOP! Now stop!"

Fingold sighs. "Ah, bloody hell." He calls the light to protect Destril.

Davien is still looking at the table. "That... Rashona? Can 'ee make the table, erm, stop rottin'?"

Destril rocks backward from the backlash of his own magic and takes a step or two to the rear. Blankly, he looks about the room, then drops to the floor like a stone, shadows fading from around him. When he hits the floor he curls up, shivering.

"Hell," says Annalea, knelling down by Destril.

"I can't. It's not alive to start with. But--" Rashona furrows her brow in concentration, reaches once more, and tries to call magic to the table and its contents.

"Shite," says Fingold.

Pill looks at Davien. "Not My Fault!"

Fells swallows. "Slickear's...umn. Down."

The table, while rotten, splinters. The gem, however, is silent, its magic contained.

Rashona kneels to check Destril, checking her pouches for anything that might help. Linedan moves to Destril's side and scoops him up in his arms, depositing him in a chair.

"BAH!" says Pill to Fells, "We ain't blind! And that... that thing's still sittin' there, eatin' the table."

Rashona says, "Priest. Destril. Do you hear me?"

Annalea looks at Linedan. "My cloak's behind you." She points at a peg on the wall. Linedan looks where Annalea is pointing, sees, the cloak, nods, grabs it, and throws it over Destril.

Destril, shivering, nods weakly at Rashona.

Rashona announces "Potion" in a no-nonsense tone and hands a small vial to Destril.

Annalea nods at Rashona. "Potion."

Davien pats Pill. "No, sweetling, it's not."

"BAH!" says Pill again. "Want it gone and dust."

"Then we take it ta the hand while we got time," says Bricu.

"FINE! Now, before it hurts more of the Eye."

Destril takes the vial and sips it without question. His breathing has begun to calm.

Bricu takes his rapier and uses it to pick up the necklace. "Now,I've got Argent waitin' outside. Get yer mounts an' keep up."

"No, stayin' here," says Pill. "Stayin' with Des."

Fingold consecrates the ground beneath the table. "Somebody better try something soon."

Linedan speaks in Orcish to Davien, nodding towards Bricu. "Tell him I can carry it. I have this armor, more protection."

Destril says, "Winston...can bear me. He's...he's a good boy. He won't drop me. If I..if I can get to where I tied him."

"FINE!" Pill throws her hands up and stalks out.

"Bittertongue?" says Davien, "Lin says he'll carry that. His plate's a wee bit thicker. Which is not at all a comment on y'r prowess in the bedroom, I promise 'ee."

Rashona glances from Davien to Bricu and back, decides she doesn't want to know, and shifts back to her cat-self to follow Pill.

Bricu tosses the leather to Linedan, who snatches it out of the air.

Linedan calls after Rashona in Orcish. "Help Destril get to his steed." He looks back to Davien. "Tell Bitterface I will follow him."

Bricu turns to Davien. "Let's go. It's been a long bloody day."

"Lin'll follow 'ee."

Rashona nods to Linedan and shifts again. "Destril. Ready?"

Destril nods. "Winston will lie down for me. ...'Sabout the only thing he's supposed to do that he actually does."

"Alright, I'm followin'," says Fingold.

Annalea glances over to Fells. "Need a lift?"

Fells nods hastily. "Shan's fair slowish. Don' tell her I said so."

"'course not," says Annalea.

Rashona helps support Destril as he walks. "You know, I have a sporebat that I hope never meets your horse..."

"Like your bat, he decided he was my horse, not the other way around..." says Destril.

"Fells, yeh can ride with me," says Bricu.

Fells shoots Bricu a quick smile of thanks. "That'll suit."

Fingold snickers quietly.

Linedan looks at Bricu, takes a deep breath, then nods grimly.

---

They make an interesting procession, the crew that takes to the skies out of Shattrath and flies southeast towards the Hand of Guldan: four humans, two deaders, two Tauren, a Sindorei, riding an assortment of winged mounts, not keeping to any particular formation. They don't tarry long over the volcano's mouth - the blood elf is ill; the fumes are noxious.

The plate-wearing tauren hovers over the center, pauses a moment, and dangles a leather pouch from his hand. Nine people hold their breath as he lets it go. It plummets down, down, into the lava.

A splash, a ripple, a spout of flame, and it is gone.

"BAH!" says the smaller of the Forsaken women. "Good riddance. Let's go home."

The two groups nod at one another. The red-haired paladin waves and wheels his Nether Ray around, pointing it towards Shattrath. The other humans follow. The members of the Eye guide their mounts to the ground, where one of the mages opens a portal to Thunder Bluff. The Tauren warrior watches the rest go through, then takes a last look around before stepping through himself.

The portal closes.