The Invasion of Stormwind.

[Dhurandal]

Thread and Author's Note:

I started this with the hopes that it would inspire others to write their own tales about the invasion from the Alliance perspective. Feel free to add onto this thread and make it a compilation of experiences! What follows is what happened when I logged onto Twisted Nether after downloading the patch. I feel bad that it happened so quickly that I couldn't get the names of the other player's characters, but hopefully they don't mind a little creative liberty if they ever see this.

The Invasion of Stormwind.

A gasp for precious air accompanied the shooting open of eyelids exposing the brilliance of golden light. The nightmare had been so vivid that the alarm bells seemed to still be audible in the distance. Lifting a hand to brush back silver locks clinging to his skin due to a slight sheen of sweat, Dhurandal felt his pointed ear perk in the direction of the window. That was the ringing of the bell! Rising up had the thin white sheet cascading from his form as he grasped hold of his robe and began to adorn it while he moved over to draw back the curtain. “…What is going on out there?”

The sky was filled with an ominous haze that was far too encompassing to be that of a storm cloud. Indeed, no rain fell though in the distance he could see flashes akin to lightning and hear noises like rumbling thunder. It was as if something sinister had enveloped Stormwind. Never before had drowsiness been shed so quickly in all of his life as he opened his dresser and grasped hold of vestments to do battle with that he had not worn in ages. As he placed each on, he could only find a grim amusement in how strange each felt against his physique despite it only being cloth and not metal. What bothered him was how natural it felt to wear them again by the time he’d moved to his bedroom door.

“Dhurandal? What is happening outside?” What awaited him on the other side was Kayah running down the hall, her hair in disarray since she too had just awoken to the commotion. Planting his staff on the wooden floor, Dhurandal turned his head to look at her as she stopped, her hand clutching her robe tight to her chest as she looked to him for answers when he had none. “I do not know, Kayah. Stay inside and wait for word from the guard.” Turning away from her, Dhurandal wondered if her staying inside was the best thing though he did not know what await beyond the door out into the streets. At the very least, he took comfort that he hadn’t promised her that he’d return. If his dreams were any portent, it would’ve been a promise he’d be unable to keep.

**********

“To arms! The Scourge walk the streets!”

Standing outside the human building that had been his home for several years, Dhurandal was overcome with a sense of dread at seeing the women rush the children inside their homes and the scores of armed guards running according to the direction of some unknown hand towards threats unknown. “…The Scourge?” Murmuring to himself, Dhurandal’s attention was suddenly drawn to a child crying out as he fell onto the cobblestone. In all the commotion to get indoors with the throng of children who lived in the orphanage, he had tripped and was now being left behind.

Immediately moving to aid the youth to his feet, Dhurandal scooped the young one into his arms as he ran to meet the woman rushing up to him. As she took the child from his arms, she looked at him and began an outburst of gratitude, “Thank you, priest! Thank you so mu-…” Words were interrupted by a look of horror in her eyes as a brilliant red light reflected in her gaze. Dhurandal managed to turn around just in time to see a ball of fire crash into the ground as it fell from the skies, the sudden burst of intense heat causing him to lift his arm to shield his face while he stood in between the fire and the woman.

The flame that had fallen died swiftly though from the haze of smoke that lingered where it crashed arose a figure. Lean and skeletal, the being that stood upright was readily identifiable yet even before smoke cleared its eyes were visible burning brightly with the sockets of a skull. It was one of the Scourge, a kind unlike any that Dhurandal had ever seen before with the bones enflamed to glow a radiant crimson from the amount of heat that the being was generating. With its unholy gaze set upon himself and the woman, Dhurandal feared his time had come. “Run inside! I’ll hold it here! Go!”

It was fortunate that the woman was not frozen in terror as she spun with the crying child and Dhurandal let a prayer for their safety pass through his mind as the door to the orphanage slammed shut. The words that escaped from his lips conveyed something far from a prayer as his eyes narrowed. “You will fall, vile creature, before you ever set an accursed foot beyond those doors!” Hands glowed with the same golden light that burned in his gaze upon the approaching undead who began to stride with greater purpose, closing the gap between them swiftly.

Aiming his hands at the monster, beams of divine light gracefully cut swathes through the air to smite his target…to no effect. It’s too powerful. My abilities aren’t strong enough to even faze it! Dhurandal grit his teeth. There was no time to cast another spell save to shield himself and with the power of this beast, the shield would likely shatter in one blow that would also lead to his demise. Forgive me, children. I do not know if I can protect you, but I will die before it crosses this line! Drawing his staff from his back, he clutched the enchanted wood tightly while preparing to do his best to buy precious seconds of life for those cowering in the building behind him.

Here it comes! The skeleton reeled its arm back, prepared to land a fiery blow the moment it was within striking range. Dhurandal raised his arms and prepared to swing in probably futile retaliation with a silent prayer to Elune for strength. There was a sickening crunch of bones unable to withstand the force of the impact, though it came not from his staff colliding with the skeleton nor did it come from his own body. Elune had granted him not only strength, but a savior.

“You do not stand alone, priest! The Scourge shall not triumph!” Despite the ominous grey that kept the sun from shining on Stormwind there were still beacons of light that kept the city from being enveloped by the darkness. In gleaming golden plate and hoisting a large maul in his hands stood a paladin whose tremendous swing had sent the skeleton flying back several feet to fall upon the ground. Swinging at the crucial moment just before the fateful impact between Dhurandal and the Scourge, the unknown paladin had saved his life. Before Dhurandal could give thanks, the rattle of rising bones spoke of the resilency of the invaders as it got to its feet.

“Die, abomination!” The sound of metal colliding with stone resounded as the paladin charged with his maul lifted over his head, though as he brought it crashing down to smash his foe it was sidestepped so that the impact only had the ground cracking from the impact. Skeletal fiend suddenly swung with enough force to cause the paladin to reel back in pain despite all the armor. Yet with righteous fury did the divine warrior swing again without questioning whether he would live or die. The cause was just.

We do not stand alone. Dhurandal let those words echo through his thoughts as he began to cast. With the paladin buying him time to work his spells, he focused on doing where he knew he’d make a difference. A blessing of fortitude, a prayer for renewal on his savior, and then the casting of a healing spell to make sure that any effort by the Scourge would prove as futile as he knew this attack on Stormwind would prove to be. The Scourge attack not only the humans by doing this, they attack us all. That is the meaning of the Alliance!

Those thoughts rang true as others rushed to aid the paladin. One of his brethren night elves rushed behind the skeleton and began carving at the joints with knives while a dwarf cleaved off the leg with his axe as he charged into battle. All the while, Dhurandal did what little he could healing and granting blessings. His resolve was no different than those more seasoned than he who were doing battle with the Scourge was. The Alliance will never fall to the likes of the Scourge!

**********

Dhurandal was able to breathe a sigh of relief as he sat on the ground, his eyes cast upon the broken and crushed collection of red bones that had been their foe. Though the paladin would’ve likely been able to take it down on his own, it had taken considerable effort for a number of them to bring the creature down. How did the Scourge manage this? The paladin had gone to reassure the children inside the orphanage and had just stepped out when the other night elf pointed up to the sky, speaking in Darnassian that had the paladin looking first and then feeling a sense of dread. Able to understand the words spoken, Dhurandal experienced the opposite. There was a sinking feeling first that only grew worse as he followed the path of everyone’s line of sight.

‘Look! Up in the sky!’ had Dhurandal gazing upon a shadowy monstrosity levitating above the city. It had the appearance of a fortress and while that was probably true, a more suitable description was that it was a platform. Whatever it was acted as the platform for the invasion of Stormwind, one that was not easily assailed and from which endless waves of Scourge could assault the city. At that very moment came several more fiery trails from the structure that no doubt carried the same destructive creatures that they had put down…only they were landing in other parts of the city.

Pushing his palm against the ground as he rose to his feet, Dhurandal’s face grew stern with resolve as he used his staff to cave in the skull of the Scourge that lay lifeless before his feet. “…Come. There are more lives to save and more Scourge to banish from Stormwind. We have no time to rest…” The paladin gave a nod that spoke of his approval of Dhurandal’s attitude though his face was not visible through the helmet. “Onward! For Stormwind! For the Alliance!” As he joined the others rushing towards where the sounds of battle came, Dhurandal’s mind echoed that sentiment that was being shared throughout the city. Yes…For the Alliance!

End.

[Kurohane]

Kurohane woke slowly, reluctantly. The crumpled bedsheets beside her were empty, but that wasn't so rare these days. Xelthan could never seem to stay in one place for very long. Yawning, she sat up and stretched her arms over her head. It was unusually dark in thier room, almost... misty. Frowning, she glanced towards the closed door. Smoke perhaps? She didn't smell anything, though. Shaking her head at the oddity, she slowly pulled herself out from under the cotton sheets, her bare feet finding the soft carpet laid at the edge of the bed.

With practiced measures, she began strapping on her various pieces of mail armor, sparing a moment here and there to stuff another piece of bread into her mouth. She would need to make a stop by Duskwood for her standard patrols that day, check and see if Barke had found anything about the oddities at Lupa's grave, check on a few guild matters, and then dive back into the ever present list of jobs she had outside of the guild. Felwood, Winterspring, the Western Plaguelands, the Searing Gorge and Burning Steps... Everywhere she went someone else needed aid with another task. How could she refuse any of them?

The alarm bell range, loud as close to the Stormwind Gates as she was, and jerked her from her thoughts. Another horde attack, no doubt. Frowning, she slid her polearm into it's holster on her back and hefted her bow. Balah leaped from where he had been sleeping to her side almost instantly, the hulking mountain cat growling quietly. She had barely made it down the stairs of the Gilded Rose when the yell reached her ears.

"To arms! The Scourge are attacking the Keep!"

Angry cries, cries of surprise, shouts of coming aid rose from all over the city as she attempted to pick her jaw up off the ground. Scourge? Scourge in Stormwind? That could not possible be...right... Her gaze moved up to the unnatural clouds over head as she stepped outside. A glow of red streaked in the distance. Her stomach siezed and she turned, sprinting to her mount.

Moments later found her at the Keep. Others had been quicker than she. Some of the mightiest the Alliance had to offer stood over the ruined wastes of broken bone and rotted flesh. Her heart beat against her chest as she rose her gaze to the sky once more. What was going on here? How did they get in?

Another flash of red darted down, this time clearly hitting the Trade District. Cursing, she spun her mount around and drove it hard back the way she had come. Again, by the time she arrived, the... thing lay in waste on the ground, right before the emissaries from the Argent Dawn.

A long conversation with the emissaries later, the huntress took a shaky breath and turned towards the gates of Stormwind. She had to see for this herself...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~

Several hours had passed. She had met up with Xelthan not long after witnessing what hovered in the sky outside of Stormwind. He had been fighting these things as well, his blades dripping with thier ichor. They had then traveled on to the Plaguelands, landing first in Chillwind. Neither had been to the Eastern side before, however, they had both been asked to report to Light's Hope Chapel. The journey there was... far from pleasant.

From there they were called out to Lakeshire, then Duskwood. The Scourge was pounding down seemingly everywhere, and so the horde took the opportunity to prey upon the weaker members of the Alliance. She, Xelthan, Kiraena and a few others they picked up - Sanrin, a gnome mage namedTeenie, a young human rogue, and a dwarf of the Regiment - along the way made short work of the trouble-makers, but Kurohane felt far more disdain for that lot than she had for any horde in the past.

Finally, though, they had returned to Stormwind. Though the necropilis still floated outside, the streets were quiet. They had all gone thier seperte ways - armor needed repairing, arrows to be bought, things to check up on...

And so she stood in the Trade District, silently observing the transactions around her. It was amazing how some people could act as if nothing was going on, as if nothing were wrong. She must have been frowning more than she realized, for when Sanrin passsed by, he paused to unexpectedly hug her before moving on towards the gryphon roost.

And then there was another crack of the red lightening... She ran around the corner with a few others to find Sanrin locked blade to blade with an undead. Her bow snapped up by instinct and she took careful aim before letting the first arrow fly to the Scourge. The fiend fell quickly, but her heart was pumping harder than any other battle had left her. Sanrin gave her a final wave before heading towards the gryphons, and she offered him a salute before turning to retrieve her mount and wander deeper into the city.

Everywhere she turned, she saw more corpses - those of the Scourge's minions and abominations, and those of her own comrades. The city was littered with them. Slowly she wandered, spreading her sense over her surroundings, seeking any of those unnatural creatures. To either side of her, others rushed in nigh panic, but a feeling of calm was beginning to take hold of her. Calm determination. She let her sense spread, she listened to the shouted reports of her comrades.

An abomination, apparently, had just passed through the Dwarven District. Spurring her nightsaber to speed, she dashed in the direction of the cry, cold purpose driving her. Ahead, she saw the all too familliar figure also mounted at the entrance.

"Barke! There was word of an abomination in the Dwarven District, have you seen anything?"

The rogue shook his head, wheeling his gemmed cat around to face her. "Nay, nothin'. Ah heard teh same," he answered softly, frowning behind his mask.

Sighing in irritation, she glanced past him, "Keep me updated if you find anything..."

He nodded, stating simply, "Same fer you."

Smiling slightly in reply, she spurred her great cat again, determined to find whatever it was that had been seen. However, it seemed that truly the Dwarven District was clear of Scourge. She sensed nothing there and was just about to head towards the Keep... when another bolt jolted down from the sky.

"SCOURGE IN THE DWARVEN DISTRICT!" she cried as she leaped off of her mount.

Balah was already speeding towards the skeleton, leaping to sink his fangs into the tainted flesh. She drew her bow up and took careful aim once more. The arrow flew true, and the creature spun from Balah to charge at her instead.

"Not going to happen," she hissed at it, pulling her Hunting Spear from her back.

But... it seemed to hardly scratch the thing. Her breath caught hard as it punctured through her mail armor, searing her flesh.

"I need help over here, dammit!" she cried out again as she slowly backed away from the thing, Balah's growl catching it's attention once more.

Breathing heavily she backed further, and hit a wall. It was too close to get a shot off at. Cursing, she moved back towards the fiend and drove her polearm at it again and again... It wasn't doing a bit of good! Balah was a mass of open wounds, and nobody was coming! She started to raise her voice yet again when a flash of blades errupted on beside her beloved cat.

Barke's swords sliced into the creature with disgusting ease while from seemingly nowhere, light surrounded her, closing her own wounds. Nimbly, she dashed around the fight and backed into range once more. From the corner of her vision, she caught Kiraena reciting a prayer to Elune. Searing light slashed through the undead. In a matter of minutes, the creature lay on the ground unmoving.

Barke gave her an obvious appraisal before leaping onto his mount. Nodding to her thanks, he moved back off to the inner-city hunt, apparently satisfied that she wasn't going to keel over. Kiraena gave her another check over as well.

"They're all over the place," the priestess sighed when she was satisfied that Kurohane wasn't hiding any wounds - something the hunteress had become known to do, it seemed.

"We will drive them out," Kuro answered simply, pulling herself back onto the back of her nightsaber.

Her officer smiled back at her, "You're darn right we will! They can't best us!"

Grinning at the priestess enthusiasim and devotion, the two parted ways and the huntress began making her way towards the Canals once more.

"Scourge in the Cathedral of Light!" a gaurd yelled from the distance. "To arms!"

Wheeling her mount towards the new attack, she spoke the Swordwalter's creed to herself. "'Protect what is; fight for what must be.' For the Alliance!"

[Kurohane]

(( I've created a simular thread to this on the Official TN forums for everyone to be able to post thier RP of this there as well. The thread there is open to both Alliance AND Horde, and can be events in this taken from anywhere in the world. Help keep that thread bumped and chalked full of RP goodness!! You can find it here! (http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-realm-twistingnether&t=163936&s=new&tmp=1#new)))

[Barke]

Shock is the best way to describe the look on his face as he returned to Stormwind. His golden eye watched that floating undead creaction. What was happening....

Undead are everywhere. Look below you.

He looked down only to see various undead assaulting the city and the outer areas. He wished this thing would fly faster. Finally he landed and was off the mount in a heartbeat. He sprinted through the streets in time to see a skeleton jump on the back of some poor human. He lept off the landing area swords ready. He worked his swords furiously. By the time his attack ended the skeleton was in pieces around the scared human.

"Go..get somewhere safer." He never thought he would be saying that...somwhere safer...than Stormwind.

He rushed off. From battle to battle fighting where ever he heard reports of undead. He was rounding the corner to the dwarven district when he heard Kurohane's voice. After a short talk he rushed off. He ran into another skeleton as he entered the cathedral. He went after the creature immediately. He hacked the undead thing down to nothing and was back on the move.

He thought he heard something from the Dwarven District and went back to investigate. He found Kurohane under attack. He rushed over ot the battle. He came between Kurohane and her attacker giving her room to get out of the corner. Having no room to really move he worked his swords around slapping the skeletons attacks away and countering when he could. It did not take long before and arrow cracked into the thing skull and it crumbled to the ground. He looked her over making sure she was fine before getting back to his mount and rushing off.

He continued hsi pattern. Going from fight to fight trying to fend off th undead army. Seems like this was a never ending struggle. He found another in the Park. He leaped off his mount crashing into the creaure sending them both into the water of the moonwell. The sound of metal rang out as Barke punched it again and again until the head was no more.

He climbed out of the well slowly. He was tired. Had been fighting all night. He turned only to meet the eyes of his love, Llucia. He grinned at her seeming again full of energy and willing to fight.

[Aquizit]

The terrible screech of his gnomebox woke Captain Pylith abruptly, a panicked voice shouting over the crackle and static. "Cap'n! Undead! -pant- In th'streets o' Ironforge! Hundreds o' 'em! Orders sir?!"

The stoic Thunderfist sprang out of bed in an instant, listening to the other frantic reports being shouted both from the ingenious gnomish device that kept the Regiment in contact with one another, and the shouts heard just outside of his home, echoing around the stone walls of the Military Ward in Ironforge. He donned his armor, saying not a word back to the other soldiers shouting over the Regiment channels as he jumped out from his stone dwelling, his wolf Mang at his side.

"Pylith! Yeh there boyo?" the gruff ... slurred voice shouted over the box, none other than the general, Garbhan. Pylith widened his eyes, slightly surprised that the general would be awake at this early hour, and not still in a stupor, slumped over in his favorite chair in Bruuk's. "Aye, sir." he replied, glancing to his right and noticing his commanding officer dashing at him, blasting away one of the undead fiends with a flick of his wand.

The two met in front of the Hall of Arms, the greyed old leader of the Ironforge Regiment panting and huffing from his short little dash, the Captain of Grimsilver Company breathing softly, deeply.. his years of military training keeping him in top shape, and of strong arm.

"Here's th' situation Captain. Undead through th'streets, right ole invasion or what have you. Most of the lads are over near the bank, or the Great Forge, you and I are taking up position here, clearing out the Ward and the streets to the Auction House. Let the gnomes deal with their mini-city, you know my stance on that."

Pylith nodded, slipping his rifle from his back, nodding to Mang, who seemed to grin with a savage growl. As if on cue, a ghoul burst from the Hall of Arms, smashing into Garbhan's ancient form, causing him to stumble forward, and dropping the mug of ale he had raised to his lips onto the stone ground, spilling it. The general's eyes flashed dangerously as, with a strength Pylith would have never imagined from one so old, General Garbhan Steelbrow HURLED the undead minion over his shoulder, crashing the beast down onto the mug, crushing it, and lying it in the freshly spilt ale.

The ghoul lay stunned, as the old dwarf pulled the ever-present cigar from his lips, snickering quietly as he muttered, "Y'know.. Bruuk's ale is known fer bein' strong... e'en flamable." He grinned as he let the cigar fall, landing on the spilt alcohol, fizzling out from the liquid.

"Gen'ral?" Pylith suggested, "Migh' need a bit more heat." He smirked to his superior, slipping his axe from his side and slashing it at the stone below. A shower of sparks sprung up flying onto the drenched floor and ghoul, igniting it into a bright blaze, laughing as the general poured another flask on the writhing, screaming undead minion, the fire roaring up into the air as it cooked the animated flesh to a crisp. Garbhan chuckled his approval, grumbling though as he turned to face the next wave of undead heading towards the two officers.



"Hmph... waste o' a cigar."

Pylith laughed, pulling his rifle up to his eye to aim at the oncoming rush, Mang springing out to drag one down ahead of his master's shot, tearing at the plagued flesh. "Aye.. ah'll buy yeh one t'make it up t'yeh sir..."

Two yells sounded out amongst the din as the mass of undead slammed into the Regiment dwarves....

"Ironforge!"

"Fer Blood n' Silver! Axe High!"

....as the cascade of war echoed through the city of Khaz Modan, the first ever invasion.... of Ironforge.


[ The moral of the story kids.. NEVER mess with Garbhan's booze. ]

[Teelia]

Teelia awoke late, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She had slept in a vacant room in the Gilded Rose Inn in Stormwind, recovering from a back injury, and had to admit she felt much better. Then her ears heard the sounds of people screaming outside.

At first she thought maybe a party was going on. People with "The Madness" often congregated around the bank fountain, speaking gibberish and jumping up and down repeatedly, or took off their clothes and danced to music only they could hear. She and Barke often sat on the steps and watched these people, as though they were putting on an unscripted play of insanity. It was truly entertaining.

Teelia slipped on a gown and walked to the window, to look out and see what time it was. She saw people running in all directions, screaming, as members of the Argent Dawn stood by and skeletal creatures ran in the streets.

Teelia gasped and recoiled, then rubbed her eyes and looked again. The undead were still there, and in the distance, floating above the gates of Stormwind was a floating structure, raining lighting and necrotic energy downward to the earth of Elwynn Forest.

"Scourge," Teelia said aloud as she quickly donned her armor and weapons. She nervously poisoned her blades as she looked outside. "No...This can't be happening...Not again..."

Running outside, Teelia stealthed behind some boxes and watched. The undead here seemed to be much more powerful than the ones who had attacked Andorhal years ago. She watched as some guards took down a few of the creatures, and then heard someone yelling that Scourge had been spotted in Cathedral Square.

Nouri could be in Cathedral Square, Teelia thought. What is this doing to him? By the light, she thought again, please keep him safe...

Teelia entered Cathedral Square just in time to see a large group of scourge enter the church itself. She ran in after them and began to attack the largest of them. Her attacks were like nothing to the creature, and after several minutes she realized that this thing was nearly indestructible. Several paladins were fighting it, and it didn't even seem to notice Teelia. Then it shreiked, and a wave of fear shot out, sending everyone scattering.

Teelia then found herself talking to an agent of the Argent Dawn. It wasn't just Stormwind that was under attack....It was worldwide. They were everywhere.....

Teelia wept openly, but kept a cool head about her. She needed to find a way to combat this menace, but the first thing she needed to do was find Nouri....He was her top priority....She activated her hearthstone and began to search for the priest....

[Noury]

It all was happening just as Nouri had seen in his visions. he had tried to warn people. He walked the streets of Stormwind for weeks now, preaching his message for warning. But did they listen? No. They laughed, they paused and gawked. Worst of all they ignored.

Now all was clear. The awful truth of the word Nouri has tried to spread was roaming the streets of beloved Stormwind.

Archbishop Benedictus had the forsight to anticipate the threat. He had the junior acolytes flown off towards the Wetlands for safety. From there instructions were to head towards the continent of Kalimdor, and take refuge at Auberdine. The archbishop believed those lands to be safest for the time being.

Nouri was not happy. This was what he was being trained for, what he had been working towards. The possibility of helping to cleanse the world of the Scourge disease. No matter his lowly status. Service to the Light was its own reward.

Yet, in truth he was partially grateful for the Archbishop's descision. The sight of all those Scourge invading the city was bringing back dark memories for Nouri. Memories he spent years suppressing.

It was in Weltands that he heard Teelia though the stone the church had provided him with. They agreed to meet at Menethil. When Teelia disembarked the griphon, Nouri's heart leapt into his throat. She was a mess! Her armour dented, numerous scrapes and cuts, her arms bruised. Nouri didn't hesitate a second in saying a prayer of healing over her.

With Teelia guiding, the pair made their way over to Kalimdor. Some peace for a time at least. But Nouri's resolve was firmed. Never again would he leave, nor would he suffer Teelia to face that danger alone again, even if he was still a novice..

[Caede]

Caede turned in an alley of Stormwind, hearing something behind her. She stifled a scream as she saw the scourge minion wander closer to her. She backed up, her mind blank as to what she was supposed to do. Her hand covered her mouth as she stared at the thing. Why was it here?

She turned and ran down the rest of the alley way, hoping the scourge would not follow. When she reached the end, she pressed up against the wall and held her breath. She faded into the shadows as the scourge came closer. She knew she couldn't hide, but what was she to do? Fight this thing? Fear seeded itself deep inside her.

"What am I afraid of," she said aloud. "I am a princess of Cenarius, I've faced these things before. What is there to be afraid of?"

She scoffed and scolded herself silently as roots came up from the ground and trapped the scourge in it's tracks. A beam of starfire fell from the sky and the scourgeling fell to the ground as the roots released it. She made sure it was dead before running back out of the alley.

"Dear Cenarius," she said in shock, looking at the scourge all about her.

A guard ran up to her and grabbed her arm, causing her to jolt slightly.

"Stormwind is being invaded," he shouted excitedly. "All able bodied men and women are required to assist in purging of these scourge!"

Caede nodded, "Under attack... The very thing these people ran from, correct?"

The guard nodded and drew his sword after releasing her arm, "Yes ma'am."

"Well then," she said softly. "Fight, soldier. The will of Cenarius shall back you up."

The young man nodded before charging into the fray. Caede stood back, and heals his wounds with magic when he took a hit from within his armour. Eventually, a path was cleared and they ran into the Trade District where the Argent Dawn had quickly set up a tent.

"So," she whispered to herself in druidic. "The scourge are on the offensive, now. Well, then.. If I must fight, I must fight."

[Rosemerta]

Lydon slid his womanly self off the gryphen, tossing a few silver to the flight master. He turned to peer out at what he had seen flying in from westfall...


The necropolis hovered over the gates of stormwind, covering the city and surrounding land in darkness. Skelletons and specters ran around, attacking anything that moved, wolves, spiders, younglings..


Lydon threw his head back, the silver hair cascading down his back... and he laughed.

[Llucia]

Llucia sat atop her mount, guiding him slowly towards Stormwind with her knees as she ran her finger down the page of a book. She looked oddly at it as she pulled another book out, her bloodstained journal and began comparing notes.

"Ashe, what mess have you lead us into? It's so foggy I can't see the words."

The druid glanced up from her studying only to find undead littering the stone path into Stormwind. She quickly replaced her books and jumped off her mount, surveying the area.

"Go on home Ashe," she mumbled quietly to the large cat, patting its flanks.

She quickly hurried inside the city, stopping to heal any she found needing help. The stairs she had planned on visiting were devoid of any life, as everyone seemed engaged with undead in the streets. The streets of Stormwind! Just what sort of guards let this happen? A flicker of worry entered her mind, but she dismissed it quickly for foolishness.

He is a brilliant fighter, and fights these things all the time.

Nonetheless, she ran through the trade district, stopping quickly only to heal those in need. She ran on to the park, hoping maybe he would be there. Thankfully, he was. She ran a discerning eye over him, making sure he did not see. Unscathed, as she should have known. Llucia gave Barke a smile as she walked over to him, never letting show a hint of the worry she had felt.

[Maegannon]

Mae sighed, stearing endlessly up at the floating scourge menace outside of her bedroom window, floating outside of stormwind. She wished she felt the terror that she saw on others faces, but she only felt the crushing weight of sorrow.

After everything that had happened in the last few months, the loss of friends, family, and guild, she was already weak and tired of fighting. She had seen the reactions of others, outraged and frightened. She wished she could feel as they did.

Yet as she continued to stare, the sorrow only grew within her chest.The argent dauwn wanted her to take up arms again, wanted her to fight along side the rest of the alliance. They had even come calling on her, asking her assistance to clear out the different areas the scourge were attacking from their flying castles of death.

The very idea of it all would normaly have sent her into a blind rage, but instead, it only served to deepen her already depressed state. She was tired, tired of it all. She sighed again, turning away from the window.

She pulled her robe around her stag-horns, over her shirt and leather pants. "Alright Elune, if this is what I must do." She reached down, picked her mace up off the floor, and slung the heavy object over her shoulder with out effort.

She stepped outside, and unhiched her riding saber from its post. "Come on Koda, We are headed to the plaguelands."

[Sanrin]

Sanrin sighed gently as he walked through the streets of Stormwind, the normally cool blue sky a much more dull and choking grey. It had been like this for the last few hours, and while the young man did appricate the break in normality there was only so much one could tolerate without eventually raising a question. Even his amount of clanking seemed to be oppressed, the normal symphony of shifting that fitted metal always seems to make almost choking on the new consistancy of the air.

Or, maybe thats just my imagination... Sanrin thought offhandedly, passing over the bridge leading to the older section of town.

He stood there for a bit, cool eyes passing over the proud assortment of silvers and blues that constructed his home. Watched the guards follow their daily routine, moving back and forth through their various points. His felt his hair stand up on end as the city seemed to hold its breath in anticipation. Heard the piercing scream of something, he couldnt quite make out what it was when the first wave of skeletons hit.

Searing lightning enveloped his vision for a short time as the minions of the Lich King made their first formal appearance, and while it took moments for the citizens of Stormwind to realize what was beginning to unfold, Sanrin watched as it took second for the shock troops of the undead army to begin to tear their way greedilly toward the king.

So this is it... Sanrin thought quietly, watching the Highlords troops push back the unholy line. Your years of knowledge, love and kindness all for nothing father? These are the people you joined, long ago...left us for?

He legs moved slowly in comparison to the flurry of heat, metal, and emotion that now drove the city. He knew offhandedly what was happening, a part of him saw the Argent Dawn respond as promised. He was remotely aware of the combat that was breaking out as he approached the bank, the teller standing dumbfounded in the heat of the invasion.

It took a few moments to pull together the single item he required and leave, quickly heading to the flight master while it was still in operation, holding a small spiders cage close to his body. It wasnt long again before he felt the sky choke, and spit down more of the screaming flames, a ivory grin greeting him wholeheartedly before launching forward in attack.


This is the generation of hope you promised father?! A leigon of the mindless to soothe our fears, and emotions away in a rain of fire and blood...You of all people should know...

Sanrin felt his mace pull forward, his body a simple blur of reflex and hate, each swing into his opponent clearly showing the fury and frustration on his normally cheerful disposition. He felt the whur of arrows pass him amongst the stinging heat coughed up by the skeletal abomination, and when the final blow was landed Sanrin felt the contained pressure flood outward tauntingly, promising more to come.

A quick wave to Kurohane, his hand swept down to pick up Scratch, and he again moved off.

...You cant build a future off the bodies of the past. Can you?

[Kurohane]

((Remember to post these on the offical TN forums - there's been a lot of great responces to the thread already! Keep them coming! Thread found here. (http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-realm-twistingnether&t=163936&p=1&tmp=1#post163936)))

[Maegannon]

Maegannon wiped the black ooze off her face with the backside of a paw. She let loose a snarl, letting her disgust show through it. Another minion distroyed, tens of thousands more to go.

She shifted, something she hardly noticed these days, into huminoid shape. She had never been sure which shape was her true form, but felt panther form was dearest to her heart. She took her mace in her hands, wiping it on the brown, dead grass. She wiped at her robes, doing little but brush away the dust from the skelletons... the stains would never come out, of this she was sure.



Upon entering Light Hope, she had been blown away by the group sitting at the table. Not only were the Argent Dawn and more finatical Brotherhood of Light there.. but the Scarlet Crusade! The sight of the representitives of the demon-controled sect put the whole ongoing conflict into persepective for her.


If the Scarlet Crusade was willing to ally itself with the Argent Dawn... the intire world was doomed. The first twinges of terror began to coil within her, overshadowing her near-perminant state of depression. They had asked her to gather materials, bits of undead, and tokens they carried, to help make armor and weapons. She agreed, though rather unwillingly so.

Yet, Elune willed it, this alliance, this campain, this fight to save the world. So yet again, she would take up the call, but only because of Elune. She cared little for her own life these days, and she had never truely cared for the Alliance at all. The humans had never been her favorite people, and her own people praticly disowned her. If it hadn't been for the Tauren druids, she would never have had finished her druid training at all. For that, she looked upon the Horde in the light of respect, rather then hatred.


Maegannon paused, a noise nearby pulling her from her thoughts. A twig snapped. She let herself fall back into panther form, melding with the shadows.... another skelleton to kill, just around the corner.

[Garbhan]

"Ironforge!"

Garbhan's gravely voice bellowed again. He and Pylith had been working their way towards the Auction house, albeit slowly. There was chaos in the streets, dwarves running about and the undead doing the same. Pylith's steady gunfire was a cadence among the confused ruckus.

Most residents were in the midst of barricading themselves in buildings or scrambling to who knew where. Garbhan was quickly succumbing to rage - who dares invade his city?

"Ironforge!"

His voice hung above the noise and echoed. The other races, and any dwarf who'd never spent time in Ironforge, tended to think his battlecry to be somewhat uninspiring. However, to the residents who could hear it, it bore incredable power. Ironforge, their home. Their city. The first, and the greatest. The only true temple to Khaz. Heads turned to see the source of the shouting.

The imfamous leader of the Ironforge Regiment fought with the ease of a veteran of centuries, each movement as efficient as possible. His staff was a more potent weapon against the Scourge invaders then any axe seemed to be, and truly it held the wrath of all things Dwarven in each swing, the wrath of a people and their creator.

Dwarves began to break out of their barricades, wielding whatever tools they forged their livelyhood with. Now, they would be used to make their home safe. Mining picks, masons chisels, metalworkers tongs and anything else that could be used against the undead. Garbhan saw one group of dwarves that particularly impressed him.

The first three were obviously brothers. They were nearly triplets, if it weren't for the lengths of their beards. They were led by who looked to be their father or an uncle. Two brothers used smithing tools with their father, smashing away at anything foolish enough to get close. The third brother wielded a two-handed maul, probably for working with stone. His strong arm swung the hammer about like a twig. Between the four of them, standing tall and shouting obscenities that would make a barkeep pale, was a woman who looked the age to be their mother. On the rare occasions where a ghoul might break through the mens tight formation, it's skull would be soundly crushed by a heavy iron skillet.

Pylith and he found themselves beside this group and, in a lull in the fighting, exchanged words with the father. The Auction House and main entrance seemed in good hands for now, as the concentration of adventurers were taking the blunt of the fighting, while a unit of Mountaineers supported by Regiment dwarves layed down heavy support. Pylith and he decided that the Mystic Ward would be their destination, as Gnomebox chatter from that area was few and far between. Exchanging curt nods to eachother, the two groups split away.

A moment later there was a call of "General!" from one of the brothers. He and Pylith turned and, as one, they, their mother and their father shouted "Ironforge!" Garbhan's chin raised in pride and he could feel Pylith straighten up beside him. Their father stood and saluted before leading them off to wherever they planned to go.

"Pylith.."

"Aye sir?"

"Let's go pick a fight."

"Aye sir!"

[Aquizit]

[ Heh, I was worried you might be upset for me using your character, but I think I kept him true to how you like to portray him.. Nice addon sir. ]