07-13-2009, 11:48 PM
First and foremost: Tell us about yourself, as a player:
Well, for starters, Male, 18, nerd. I started seriously playing video games at the age of six, about twenty seconds after I had decided that my reading skills were good enough to figure out what all the characters were saying. While other kids were out playing with toy trucks or Leggos (or whatever they played with,) I spent my days with my eyes glued to the television, desperately trying to beat the latest installment of whatever Final Fantasy I was up to (and YES, I cried when Aeris died.) The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Legend of Legaia, and Breath of Fire were just some of my staple games that I played growing up. I'm a huge fan of fantasy-fiction, and I'd prefer slaying a dragon over shooting an alien any day. Genre-wise, as long as it's not a cooking game, a game about animals, or a Wii (insert verb or noun here,) I'll give it a shot, but I'm particularly fond of Action, RPG, and MMOs.
What country do you come from? What is your primary language?:
America, unfortunately. More specifically, the middle of nowhere (quite literally, in the middle of the county in the middle of Pennsylvania, where everyone's a redneck and if you don't like ATVs, motocross, hunting, and bush parties, you're weird,) and I speak English quite well. For the record, I DON'T like, ATVs, motocross, hunting, or bush parties.
How did you get into Warcraft?:
Well, my mom's ex-boyfriend got us into it about 3or 4 years ago, he claimed to have beta tested it and he seemed to know enough about it. This was right after my Ultima-Online phase, and we hadn't been up to our father's as much (and our uncle, a huge D&D fanatic, hadn't been down to his house,) so the D&D sessions that we used to enjoy had been running scarce. So with a lack of RP and an insatiable thirst for MMO PKing bred from endless hours spent playing UO, I gave WoW a shot. It was awesome, and I've been a proud denizen of the Horde for roughly three years now.
What made you seek our server over others?:
Well, as of late the RP on the retail servers has been, to put it lightly, bad. After a rather obscene encounter which was not only offensive, but badly RP'ed, I decided to search for a roleplaying server with a set of rules a tad more trict. I did a google search of Private RP servers, and this was one of the top results, and from what I can see, it was on top for good reason.
What kinds of roleplay do you enjoy?:
Most kinds of RP are just fine and dandy with me. Whether it's out gaily slaying monsters or relaxing in the tavern over a nice mug of ale, I'm down. I've never tried text-dueling, however – all of my duels have been the old-fashioned way... that's not to say that I wouldn't be willing to try it out, however.
What is your favorite race/class? Why?:
I've always been partial to the Horde.
The idea of a group of peoples banded together simply because they would die if divided appeals to me more than the traditional “Band together to slay the demons†union that the Alliance presents. The blinded zeal of the Alliance – their tendency to group the races of the Horde in with the rest of the mindless Scourge and the Burning Legion as ‘inherently evil' – casts them in an unfavorable light for me. In particular, however, I favor the Forsaken and the Sin'Dorei, both because not only are they wrongly pursued, but because they were betrayed. While the Forsaken no longer draw breath, they were once very alive, and once very loyal to the Alliance, or at least their kin. However, when the Plague took hold, any and all undead creatures had to be destroyed – whether or not they had free will, much to the displeasure of the Forsaken. The Sin'Dorei, too, suffered betrayal – made even worse because they were outcast simply for trying to survive. When deserted by their allies, they had no choice but to turn to help from the Naga – for which they were shunned by the Alliance. Call it pity, but I'm a sucker for the ‘unjust prosecution' that the races of the Horde seem to find themselves the victims of.
Class-wise, my favorite has to be the Paladin, simply because of their versatility. Albeit, they don't have a whole lot of options when it comes to ranged DPS, but it's a small price to pay to be able to ‘do it all.' Also, I love getting up-close and personal when it comes to combat, but I couldn't pull myself away from having a mana bar. Rogues were okay, warriors were cool, but when it came right down to it, I wanted to be able to do more than just autoattack. I didn't like how squishy the casters were, and all of the Shaman quests just irritated me, so I tried out the paladin, which rocked my socks off. Once I decided that I was always and forever going to be loyal to the Horde, the Blood Elf Paladin (A.K.A. ‘Blood Knight') became my choice class/race combination.
What are your expectations of this server?:
My expectations of this server are high, but from what I gathered the RP is a lot more serious than the RP on retail servers anyway. There are people who lightly RP on retail, or only RP briefly while visiting cities to gain new skills or improve professions, but a server where RP is required would be, to say the least, very interesting. I'm also interested to see how the PvP ruleset plays into the RP of the server.
Out of all of our rules and regulations listed on our server, which appeals to you the most?:
Perhaps the spelling and grammar conventions are what I'm most grateful for. It is extremely frustrating to be a part of an RP that WOULD BE good, except for the fact that there are one or more individuals can't seem to find the Shift, “,†or “.†Keys, or have never actually tried spelling the words that they're attempting to use. Bad grammar and spelling ruins RP for me, and I'm really appreciative of
Lastly, tell us a story! It can be short, it can be long; but most importantly, we want to see your work in action. Go!:
Warning: This is really, really long.
I seriously didn't mean for it to stretch out this far, but my creativity got the better of me and, with nothing better to do at one in the morning, this is the result. I also did the best I could to highlight the dialogue in white for easier reading. All of the names used are characters of my own creation - some for RP, others simply for leveling. In any case, enjoy =D
“I have no story to tell. I'm here for blood, and that is all.†The armored Blood Elf let the words slip from his mouth in Orcish, staring impassively into the fire before him. He shifted a little, relieving the pressure on the bruises that lined his lower back and stomach – painful reminders of the confrontation just north of Andorhal. His words echoed over the faint crackling of the fire and the sound of equipment being tended to, resonating through the camp and into the night air without response for what seemed like an eternity.
Then, from somewhere across the fire, a strained chuckle was released through the harsh, cracked lips of a figure clad in naught but armor and decaying flesh – a feeble attempt at raising spirits. The paladin and the other two members in the company – a Tauren hunter tending to his ammunition and watching over his hound, and another of the Sin'Dorei, garbed in robes and previously uttering some chant, clutching her holy symbol – stopped their activities and turned their attention to the words being spoken by the Forsaken. “You've no story? So you pursue the Scourge with such hatred simply because… because you've been assigned here? Have your superiors assigned you your anger as well? Delandas, I've been fighting these mindless drones at the request of the Dark Lady since I first stepped out of my tomb, and I've yet to see someone match your ferocity when faced with the threat of the Scourge. Even those blasted Crusaders, for all their zealotry, could hold nary a candle to your vigor in combat.†The Forsaken warrior paused for a moment and shook his head, seemingly in disbelief of his own memories. “You had been unarmed, Paladin, and yet you pursued them with your bare hands… three of those bone warriors at once, and you slew them outright. If not for your devotion to the Light, I'd wager you to be a bit touched.†He shut his mouth abruptly and even winced slightly as Delandas slowly raised his gaze upwards, his expression of apathy contorting into a painful grimace of rage. The haunting glow of undeath emanating from the Forsaken's eyes wilted underneath the cold glare of the paladin.
“You have no idea… you could not even dream of the suffering that I've endured,†Delandas hissed, rising from his seat. “Before all of this… this horror… you were a lone farmer. You had your crop, and that was it. No loved ones, no friends or family… when the plague ravaged your lands, you simply stopped devoting yourself to the plow and instead pledged yourself to that fallen Ranger general – a peon then and now. Tell me then, Dalson, do you know what it's like to have to watch your own kin be brutally murdered by monsters – some of which still walk the land to this day, unchallenged? Do you know the agonizing frustration that is an oath of retribution that has gone unfulfilled for too long? Do you know the horror of having your dreams filled with the screams of your siblings, your sires, loved ones? Do you?!†Delandas raised the volume of his voice and advanced upon Dalson as he spoke, until he was neigh on top of him, and screaming himself hoarse.
After a moment of silence made even more disturbing by the absence of crickets, birds, or even wind to grace the ears, the frenzied paladin continued in a voice barely above a whisper, his face almost touching the warrior's, “Many a night I have awoken to the sound of my own screaming. There are times that I wish that I had been one of the casualties in the destruction of Quel'Thalas – or worse, one of the Forsaken. Even a damned eternity, spent mindless and senseless in the servitude of Arthas himself as one of the Scourge, would be acceptable over having to relive the horror of watching everything you love and cherish be burnt down to the ground, night after night after blasted night. You, Dalson, lost your life to the Plague, yet you lived the life of a drone then as you do now, if you could even call your existence before the Plague a life. If only I had died, or had at least been turned, that I would not have to endure this pain… My life now is naught but hatred and vengeance, with nothing but the promise of blood repaid to fight for. You know nothing, Dalson. Nothing.â€Â
Any thought of Dalson's to offer retort to his insults was dismissed abruptly as his gaze met the paladin's – to offer quarrel now was folly. So instead, the warrior merely shifted slightly and ducked his head, mumbling something about a particular individual being on edge as a result of withdrawal. Sensing no real rebuke coming from his fellow adventurer any time soon, Delandas narrowed his gaze briefly, then, straightening with a grunt of disapproval, he strode across the campsite, nestled in the hills south of Hearthglen, and out of the small grove that the party had claimed – winding around a few wilted trees before disappearing from sight, headed south towards Andorhal.
As soon as the Elfin priestess could be sure that Delandas was out of earshot, she turned to the disgruntled Forsaken and tried to reassure him. “Pay no mind to him, Dalson,†she began, “He's not had a decent amount of Arcane energy lately, he's suffering a bit from withdrawal, and that ambush at Andorhal was sure to-“
“Don't offer excuses to me, Elf,†Dalson spat. “I know just as well as you and he that you've plenty of crystals and whatnot to feast upon with you – the arcane residue's probably what drew the Scourge to us in the first place. If not for your race's addiction, Jekalai would probably still be alive right now.†He nodded to the corpse of a Darkspear Troll lying adjacent to the Tauren, a deep, festering wound across his midsection revealing the contents of its stomach. When the priestess did not continue her consolations (shocked as she was from the warrior's sudden bitterness,) Dalson brought his legs up to his chest and wrapped his fleshless arms around them, withdrawing into himself and grumbling discontentedly.
A deep rumbling sounded from the final member of the group as the hulking Tauren cleared his throat, then offered his opinion to the argument at hand in a slow, deliberate voice. “Illidia, Dalson, enough. Whatever may have brought the attack on before does not matter now. Dalson, to throw away the Elves' source of relief from their addiction would only impair and weaken them further – something we cannot afford now with the loss of Jekalai.†The hunter paused, turning and nodding slowly at the corpse of their fallen comrade, and curling his hand into a fist and placing it upon his opposite breast in a crude sign of respect. “He was a brave one. If not for his totemic prowess, more than one life might've been lost. However, we all knew the risks that we took when venturing past the Forsaken's base camp and into the Plaguelands, and it is foolish to blame the death of an ally upon yourself – unless, of course, you turned a blind eye to what you could have stopped, or guided the blade there yourself.†He paused, looking squarely at both Illidia and Dalson in turn. “It is not wise to burden yourself with guilt or anger over a death of an ally that you could not prevent. Mourn, avenge, and carry on. This bickering and arguing does not suit us, for we are no common folk – do not tarry around as such.†He let his words sink into his audience for awhile, listening fruitlessly for signs of the paladin's return.
The priestess, Illidia, sighed and spoke up once more. “Thank you for your words, Takarn. You may not be an Elder or Seer, but you certainly listen well to them.†She rubbed her temples with the tips of her forefingers for a few seconds, then stopped short and, springing upright, began to babble frantically. “Takarn, Dalson is headed straight for Andorhal! His axe is cracked, it was damaged during the ambush, and even with his equipment in order he wouldn't stand a chance by himself if he neared the ruins! He's a deadman if he pursues them alone! We've got to-“
“Calm yourself, Illidia.†Takarn had since risen from his place in front of the fire and approached the priestess, placing a rough hand on her shoulder to stay her antics. “Delandas is hot-tempered, but he is no fool. Now that his bloodlust has been sated for the night, he would not assault the Scourge again… but another ambush would be disastrous.†He knelt down then, motioning for his grey-furred hound to come closer. The trained wolf responded eagerly, and the Tauren lowered his muzzle to his pet's ear and spoke, â€ÂBavlok, stay here. Guard these two if trouble arises. If anything worse than a wandering animal or a Scourge peon approaches the camp, come and find me. I'll be heading south.†The wolf yipped eagerly, to which Takarn smiled as he rose to his feet. “My pet will stay here and help keep this site free of Scourge and tainted beasts. If anything worse appears, he'll leave only to come and find me for aid. I'm going to find Delandas.†Before either of the two could open their mouths to protest, the hunter continued, “I've been keeping notes on the lay of the land – I could find my way back here faster and easier than either of you two, and we need to keep some place cleared as a refuge. And seeing as we left our mounts at the Bulwark for safe keeping, I would be able to find him faster than either of you two, as well. I'll be back by dawn.†A faint hint of amusement crossed Takarn's muzzle as he saw looks of frustration upon the faces of his two allies. “I assure you, I'll be fine. There's not a creature, dead, alive or otherwise, that has yet to surprise Takarn Fleethoof.†With those words lingering on the air as his goodbye, he turned his back to the camp and set off towards the south.
After a decent amount of pathfinding and quite a bit of backtracking, Takarn had managed to get a semblance as to the trail that Delandas had taken. His guess was correct; the paladin had not stormed into Andorhal like a foolhardy youth, but had instead taken a more eastwardly path, taking care, though it seemed almost not enough, to avoid detection by the Scourge forces that inhabited the farmlands. When the hunter finally caught up with his quarry, the Elf was seated on the northern shore of Darrowmere Lake, staring across the vast, tainted expanse, lost in his own thoughts.
Takarn approached him quietly at first, then, when he was about five meters or so from Delandas, he spoke. “You know,†his words jolting the paladin from his reverie, “For all your race's longevity, you behave quite impulsively, and often without wisdom.†The paladin instinctively rolled and drew his worn axe and shield, summoning his protective aura and raising his shield… only to lower his weapon and sigh in relief at the sight of Takarn's chuckling face, which continued, “All alone in the middle of the Plaguelands with naught but a worn-out axe and shield? You've got some nerve… if you'd have gotten any closer to those farmsteads, you'd be food for the ghouls right now.†The paladin merely shrugged, then turned and retook his seat on the shore, and Takarn followed suit.
A long silence drifted between them before Takarn spoke again, facing the lake like Delandas. “Perhaps you are right, paladin. Perhaps you know suffering that no other man could ever conceive of – even so, Dalson played no part in the cards that the Fates have dealt you, and you had no right to be as violent as you were with him.†He looked at him reproachfully, and was slightly relieved to see the anger and frustration in Delandas's eyes give way to guilt and gloom. The hunter continued, “I have an inkling that asking an apology of you now would be too much, but one in the future would be only fair of you. You are troubled enough at the moment… but I sense it is not Jekalai's death that perturbs you, young Paladin?â€Â
A sigh escaped Delandas's lips before he replied, “Do not misunderstand me, Takarn – the death of a companion is always disturbing, but… I have my own personal vendetta against the Scourge.†He stopped momentarily to grimace, then continued, “Filthy beasts, every single one of them deserves a fate worse than death, worse than what they've become. I simply cannot stand the sight of them… even the mention of Forsaken, free-willed as they are, leaves a bitter aftertaste.â€Â
“Your feelings for the undead are not uncommon,†Takarn replied, “but they are unwise. Anger, hatred, revenge… these things are poisons upon the mind. To harbor anger and hatred in your heart or to seek vengeance is a blight upon the very soul, Delandas. Hatred is not born into a man – it is implanted there, like a parasitic cancer that eats at his heart. Let it consume you, and you will have nothing once the source of your hatred is gone.â€Â
A look of sadness crossed the paladins face, and he closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. “You could not understand…â€Â
“Perhaps you are right. Perhaps yours is a suffering that is simply incomprehensible… but we have all lost something to the Scourge. All of us here know what it means to experience loss and despair. Mayhap your suffering is very understandable indeed. But whether or not your companions can understand you, your hatred of the Scourge is not something that you simply decided to adopt, nor was it born unto you… it was forced by something. And so, you definitely have a story to tell.†The Tauren glanced sideways at the Elf, who opened his eyes and returned the glance.
“… It's a long story.â€Â
“It's a long seven hours ‘till dawn.â€Â
Delandas paused, then, seeing that he had no other excuse or option, he sighed and set his shield aside, resting his hands upon the pommel of his axe. He began musing to himself aloud, muttering under his breath for several moments, until he spoke loudly enough for Takarn to hear.
“My life… was not always one dedicated to vengeance. There was a time that I can remember… so faintly now, but those memories, those bittersweet memories, they still remain. Childhood summers spent playing in the gardens of Silvermoon… Nights spent studying the ways of the Light. The House of the Sunstrikers was never really a family that considered itself wealthy – well-off enough, but never really in possession of extreme wealth. But money is not, and was never, a concern of mine. I was happy – the fortune in my future seemed certain. My position as a Blood Knight seemed secure. My courtship with the fair Blood Knight Adept, Thisillia, was progressing at a pleasing rate. I could have brought honor to the Sunstriker name… and then it all went horribly wrong…â€Â
Delandas's voice trailed off into the night as Takarn sat patiently and listened, and the two sat and conversed into the few hours just before dawn.
Is there anything else you would like to add, ask, or otherwise clarify?:
Are Alliance and Horde members able to interact outside of combat and standard emotes? Perchance a common language that they all share? Because that would be really handy and have serious potential for awesomeness. The server's awesome even if they can't though.
I checked the Wiki for rules regarding character death IC, but what about other deaths? Suppose you're leveling, because you want to work up to the level cap the hard way, and you're killed because you were caught unawares by a patrol – or, worse still, a griefer strolls by and decides that he's going to PK you without provocation or RP behind it. Maybe you fell from a really tall ledge – completely by accident. Is a return from the dead acceptable in those situations? If you DO die, is there a spirit healer that can resurrect you? Can you respawn at your corpse?
Also, my sibling would like to RP on your server as well.
I DO have a younger brother that likes to RP. He uses another computer in the household to log in, but we share the same IP address. His account name on the CotH forums is Thanrax, and he should be posting an introduction some time after mine. If nessecary we can both provide links to separate websites with picture confirmation that we are indeed two different people. If for any reason either of us should be denied while the other accepted, I would ask that the GMs please do not ban our IP address from the server, so that the accepted person would still be able to access the server. I will respectfully leave the server if I am denied, and I know my brother would do the same.
Well, for starters, Male, 18, nerd. I started seriously playing video games at the age of six, about twenty seconds after I had decided that my reading skills were good enough to figure out what all the characters were saying. While other kids were out playing with toy trucks or Leggos (or whatever they played with,) I spent my days with my eyes glued to the television, desperately trying to beat the latest installment of whatever Final Fantasy I was up to (and YES, I cried when Aeris died.) The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Legend of Legaia, and Breath of Fire were just some of my staple games that I played growing up. I'm a huge fan of fantasy-fiction, and I'd prefer slaying a dragon over shooting an alien any day. Genre-wise, as long as it's not a cooking game, a game about animals, or a Wii (insert verb or noun here,) I'll give it a shot, but I'm particularly fond of Action, RPG, and MMOs.
What country do you come from? What is your primary language?:
America, unfortunately. More specifically, the middle of nowhere (quite literally, in the middle of the county in the middle of Pennsylvania, where everyone's a redneck and if you don't like ATVs, motocross, hunting, and bush parties, you're weird,) and I speak English quite well. For the record, I DON'T like, ATVs, motocross, hunting, or bush parties.
How did you get into Warcraft?:
Well, my mom's ex-boyfriend got us into it about 3or 4 years ago, he claimed to have beta tested it and he seemed to know enough about it. This was right after my Ultima-Online phase, and we hadn't been up to our father's as much (and our uncle, a huge D&D fanatic, hadn't been down to his house,) so the D&D sessions that we used to enjoy had been running scarce. So with a lack of RP and an insatiable thirst for MMO PKing bred from endless hours spent playing UO, I gave WoW a shot. It was awesome, and I've been a proud denizen of the Horde for roughly three years now.
What made you seek our server over others?:
Well, as of late the RP on the retail servers has been, to put it lightly, bad. After a rather obscene encounter which was not only offensive, but badly RP'ed, I decided to search for a roleplaying server with a set of rules a tad more trict. I did a google search of Private RP servers, and this was one of the top results, and from what I can see, it was on top for good reason.
What kinds of roleplay do you enjoy?:
Most kinds of RP are just fine and dandy with me. Whether it's out gaily slaying monsters or relaxing in the tavern over a nice mug of ale, I'm down. I've never tried text-dueling, however – all of my duels have been the old-fashioned way... that's not to say that I wouldn't be willing to try it out, however.
What is your favorite race/class? Why?:
I've always been partial to the Horde.
The idea of a group of peoples banded together simply because they would die if divided appeals to me more than the traditional “Band together to slay the demons†union that the Alliance presents. The blinded zeal of the Alliance – their tendency to group the races of the Horde in with the rest of the mindless Scourge and the Burning Legion as ‘inherently evil' – casts them in an unfavorable light for me. In particular, however, I favor the Forsaken and the Sin'Dorei, both because not only are they wrongly pursued, but because they were betrayed. While the Forsaken no longer draw breath, they were once very alive, and once very loyal to the Alliance, or at least their kin. However, when the Plague took hold, any and all undead creatures had to be destroyed – whether or not they had free will, much to the displeasure of the Forsaken. The Sin'Dorei, too, suffered betrayal – made even worse because they were outcast simply for trying to survive. When deserted by their allies, they had no choice but to turn to help from the Naga – for which they were shunned by the Alliance. Call it pity, but I'm a sucker for the ‘unjust prosecution' that the races of the Horde seem to find themselves the victims of.
Class-wise, my favorite has to be the Paladin, simply because of their versatility. Albeit, they don't have a whole lot of options when it comes to ranged DPS, but it's a small price to pay to be able to ‘do it all.' Also, I love getting up-close and personal when it comes to combat, but I couldn't pull myself away from having a mana bar. Rogues were okay, warriors were cool, but when it came right down to it, I wanted to be able to do more than just autoattack. I didn't like how squishy the casters were, and all of the Shaman quests just irritated me, so I tried out the paladin, which rocked my socks off. Once I decided that I was always and forever going to be loyal to the Horde, the Blood Elf Paladin (A.K.A. ‘Blood Knight') became my choice class/race combination.
What are your expectations of this server?:
My expectations of this server are high, but from what I gathered the RP is a lot more serious than the RP on retail servers anyway. There are people who lightly RP on retail, or only RP briefly while visiting cities to gain new skills or improve professions, but a server where RP is required would be, to say the least, very interesting. I'm also interested to see how the PvP ruleset plays into the RP of the server.
Out of all of our rules and regulations listed on our server, which appeals to you the most?:
Perhaps the spelling and grammar conventions are what I'm most grateful for. It is extremely frustrating to be a part of an RP that WOULD BE good, except for the fact that there are one or more individuals can't seem to find the Shift, “,†or “.†Keys, or have never actually tried spelling the words that they're attempting to use. Bad grammar and spelling ruins RP for me, and I'm really appreciative of
Lastly, tell us a story! It can be short, it can be long; but most importantly, we want to see your work in action. Go!:
Warning: This is really, really long.
I seriously didn't mean for it to stretch out this far, but my creativity got the better of me and, with nothing better to do at one in the morning, this is the result. I also did the best I could to highlight the dialogue in white for easier reading. All of the names used are characters of my own creation - some for RP, others simply for leveling. In any case, enjoy =D
“I have no story to tell. I'm here for blood, and that is all.†The armored Blood Elf let the words slip from his mouth in Orcish, staring impassively into the fire before him. He shifted a little, relieving the pressure on the bruises that lined his lower back and stomach – painful reminders of the confrontation just north of Andorhal. His words echoed over the faint crackling of the fire and the sound of equipment being tended to, resonating through the camp and into the night air without response for what seemed like an eternity.
Then, from somewhere across the fire, a strained chuckle was released through the harsh, cracked lips of a figure clad in naught but armor and decaying flesh – a feeble attempt at raising spirits. The paladin and the other two members in the company – a Tauren hunter tending to his ammunition and watching over his hound, and another of the Sin'Dorei, garbed in robes and previously uttering some chant, clutching her holy symbol – stopped their activities and turned their attention to the words being spoken by the Forsaken. “You've no story? So you pursue the Scourge with such hatred simply because… because you've been assigned here? Have your superiors assigned you your anger as well? Delandas, I've been fighting these mindless drones at the request of the Dark Lady since I first stepped out of my tomb, and I've yet to see someone match your ferocity when faced with the threat of the Scourge. Even those blasted Crusaders, for all their zealotry, could hold nary a candle to your vigor in combat.†The Forsaken warrior paused for a moment and shook his head, seemingly in disbelief of his own memories. “You had been unarmed, Paladin, and yet you pursued them with your bare hands… three of those bone warriors at once, and you slew them outright. If not for your devotion to the Light, I'd wager you to be a bit touched.†He shut his mouth abruptly and even winced slightly as Delandas slowly raised his gaze upwards, his expression of apathy contorting into a painful grimace of rage. The haunting glow of undeath emanating from the Forsaken's eyes wilted underneath the cold glare of the paladin.
“You have no idea… you could not even dream of the suffering that I've endured,†Delandas hissed, rising from his seat. “Before all of this… this horror… you were a lone farmer. You had your crop, and that was it. No loved ones, no friends or family… when the plague ravaged your lands, you simply stopped devoting yourself to the plow and instead pledged yourself to that fallen Ranger general – a peon then and now. Tell me then, Dalson, do you know what it's like to have to watch your own kin be brutally murdered by monsters – some of which still walk the land to this day, unchallenged? Do you know the agonizing frustration that is an oath of retribution that has gone unfulfilled for too long? Do you know the horror of having your dreams filled with the screams of your siblings, your sires, loved ones? Do you?!†Delandas raised the volume of his voice and advanced upon Dalson as he spoke, until he was neigh on top of him, and screaming himself hoarse.
After a moment of silence made even more disturbing by the absence of crickets, birds, or even wind to grace the ears, the frenzied paladin continued in a voice barely above a whisper, his face almost touching the warrior's, “Many a night I have awoken to the sound of my own screaming. There are times that I wish that I had been one of the casualties in the destruction of Quel'Thalas – or worse, one of the Forsaken. Even a damned eternity, spent mindless and senseless in the servitude of Arthas himself as one of the Scourge, would be acceptable over having to relive the horror of watching everything you love and cherish be burnt down to the ground, night after night after blasted night. You, Dalson, lost your life to the Plague, yet you lived the life of a drone then as you do now, if you could even call your existence before the Plague a life. If only I had died, or had at least been turned, that I would not have to endure this pain… My life now is naught but hatred and vengeance, with nothing but the promise of blood repaid to fight for. You know nothing, Dalson. Nothing.â€Â
Any thought of Dalson's to offer retort to his insults was dismissed abruptly as his gaze met the paladin's – to offer quarrel now was folly. So instead, the warrior merely shifted slightly and ducked his head, mumbling something about a particular individual being on edge as a result of withdrawal. Sensing no real rebuke coming from his fellow adventurer any time soon, Delandas narrowed his gaze briefly, then, straightening with a grunt of disapproval, he strode across the campsite, nestled in the hills south of Hearthglen, and out of the small grove that the party had claimed – winding around a few wilted trees before disappearing from sight, headed south towards Andorhal.
As soon as the Elfin priestess could be sure that Delandas was out of earshot, she turned to the disgruntled Forsaken and tried to reassure him. “Pay no mind to him, Dalson,†she began, “He's not had a decent amount of Arcane energy lately, he's suffering a bit from withdrawal, and that ambush at Andorhal was sure to-“
“Don't offer excuses to me, Elf,†Dalson spat. “I know just as well as you and he that you've plenty of crystals and whatnot to feast upon with you – the arcane residue's probably what drew the Scourge to us in the first place. If not for your race's addiction, Jekalai would probably still be alive right now.†He nodded to the corpse of a Darkspear Troll lying adjacent to the Tauren, a deep, festering wound across his midsection revealing the contents of its stomach. When the priestess did not continue her consolations (shocked as she was from the warrior's sudden bitterness,) Dalson brought his legs up to his chest and wrapped his fleshless arms around them, withdrawing into himself and grumbling discontentedly.
A deep rumbling sounded from the final member of the group as the hulking Tauren cleared his throat, then offered his opinion to the argument at hand in a slow, deliberate voice. “Illidia, Dalson, enough. Whatever may have brought the attack on before does not matter now. Dalson, to throw away the Elves' source of relief from their addiction would only impair and weaken them further – something we cannot afford now with the loss of Jekalai.†The hunter paused, turning and nodding slowly at the corpse of their fallen comrade, and curling his hand into a fist and placing it upon his opposite breast in a crude sign of respect. “He was a brave one. If not for his totemic prowess, more than one life might've been lost. However, we all knew the risks that we took when venturing past the Forsaken's base camp and into the Plaguelands, and it is foolish to blame the death of an ally upon yourself – unless, of course, you turned a blind eye to what you could have stopped, or guided the blade there yourself.†He paused, looking squarely at both Illidia and Dalson in turn. “It is not wise to burden yourself with guilt or anger over a death of an ally that you could not prevent. Mourn, avenge, and carry on. This bickering and arguing does not suit us, for we are no common folk – do not tarry around as such.†He let his words sink into his audience for awhile, listening fruitlessly for signs of the paladin's return.
The priestess, Illidia, sighed and spoke up once more. “Thank you for your words, Takarn. You may not be an Elder or Seer, but you certainly listen well to them.†She rubbed her temples with the tips of her forefingers for a few seconds, then stopped short and, springing upright, began to babble frantically. “Takarn, Dalson is headed straight for Andorhal! His axe is cracked, it was damaged during the ambush, and even with his equipment in order he wouldn't stand a chance by himself if he neared the ruins! He's a deadman if he pursues them alone! We've got to-“
“Calm yourself, Illidia.†Takarn had since risen from his place in front of the fire and approached the priestess, placing a rough hand on her shoulder to stay her antics. “Delandas is hot-tempered, but he is no fool. Now that his bloodlust has been sated for the night, he would not assault the Scourge again… but another ambush would be disastrous.†He knelt down then, motioning for his grey-furred hound to come closer. The trained wolf responded eagerly, and the Tauren lowered his muzzle to his pet's ear and spoke, â€ÂBavlok, stay here. Guard these two if trouble arises. If anything worse than a wandering animal or a Scourge peon approaches the camp, come and find me. I'll be heading south.†The wolf yipped eagerly, to which Takarn smiled as he rose to his feet. “My pet will stay here and help keep this site free of Scourge and tainted beasts. If anything worse appears, he'll leave only to come and find me for aid. I'm going to find Delandas.†Before either of the two could open their mouths to protest, the hunter continued, “I've been keeping notes on the lay of the land – I could find my way back here faster and easier than either of you two, and we need to keep some place cleared as a refuge. And seeing as we left our mounts at the Bulwark for safe keeping, I would be able to find him faster than either of you two, as well. I'll be back by dawn.†A faint hint of amusement crossed Takarn's muzzle as he saw looks of frustration upon the faces of his two allies. “I assure you, I'll be fine. There's not a creature, dead, alive or otherwise, that has yet to surprise Takarn Fleethoof.†With those words lingering on the air as his goodbye, he turned his back to the camp and set off towards the south.
After a decent amount of pathfinding and quite a bit of backtracking, Takarn had managed to get a semblance as to the trail that Delandas had taken. His guess was correct; the paladin had not stormed into Andorhal like a foolhardy youth, but had instead taken a more eastwardly path, taking care, though it seemed almost not enough, to avoid detection by the Scourge forces that inhabited the farmlands. When the hunter finally caught up with his quarry, the Elf was seated on the northern shore of Darrowmere Lake, staring across the vast, tainted expanse, lost in his own thoughts.
Takarn approached him quietly at first, then, when he was about five meters or so from Delandas, he spoke. “You know,†his words jolting the paladin from his reverie, “For all your race's longevity, you behave quite impulsively, and often without wisdom.†The paladin instinctively rolled and drew his worn axe and shield, summoning his protective aura and raising his shield… only to lower his weapon and sigh in relief at the sight of Takarn's chuckling face, which continued, “All alone in the middle of the Plaguelands with naught but a worn-out axe and shield? You've got some nerve… if you'd have gotten any closer to those farmsteads, you'd be food for the ghouls right now.†The paladin merely shrugged, then turned and retook his seat on the shore, and Takarn followed suit.
A long silence drifted between them before Takarn spoke again, facing the lake like Delandas. “Perhaps you are right, paladin. Perhaps you know suffering that no other man could ever conceive of – even so, Dalson played no part in the cards that the Fates have dealt you, and you had no right to be as violent as you were with him.†He looked at him reproachfully, and was slightly relieved to see the anger and frustration in Delandas's eyes give way to guilt and gloom. The hunter continued, “I have an inkling that asking an apology of you now would be too much, but one in the future would be only fair of you. You are troubled enough at the moment… but I sense it is not Jekalai's death that perturbs you, young Paladin?â€Â
A sigh escaped Delandas's lips before he replied, “Do not misunderstand me, Takarn – the death of a companion is always disturbing, but… I have my own personal vendetta against the Scourge.†He stopped momentarily to grimace, then continued, “Filthy beasts, every single one of them deserves a fate worse than death, worse than what they've become. I simply cannot stand the sight of them… even the mention of Forsaken, free-willed as they are, leaves a bitter aftertaste.â€Â
“Your feelings for the undead are not uncommon,†Takarn replied, “but they are unwise. Anger, hatred, revenge… these things are poisons upon the mind. To harbor anger and hatred in your heart or to seek vengeance is a blight upon the very soul, Delandas. Hatred is not born into a man – it is implanted there, like a parasitic cancer that eats at his heart. Let it consume you, and you will have nothing once the source of your hatred is gone.â€Â
A look of sadness crossed the paladins face, and he closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. “You could not understand…â€Â
“Perhaps you are right. Perhaps yours is a suffering that is simply incomprehensible… but we have all lost something to the Scourge. All of us here know what it means to experience loss and despair. Mayhap your suffering is very understandable indeed. But whether or not your companions can understand you, your hatred of the Scourge is not something that you simply decided to adopt, nor was it born unto you… it was forced by something. And so, you definitely have a story to tell.†The Tauren glanced sideways at the Elf, who opened his eyes and returned the glance.
“… It's a long story.â€Â
“It's a long seven hours ‘till dawn.â€Â
Delandas paused, then, seeing that he had no other excuse or option, he sighed and set his shield aside, resting his hands upon the pommel of his axe. He began musing to himself aloud, muttering under his breath for several moments, until he spoke loudly enough for Takarn to hear.
“My life… was not always one dedicated to vengeance. There was a time that I can remember… so faintly now, but those memories, those bittersweet memories, they still remain. Childhood summers spent playing in the gardens of Silvermoon… Nights spent studying the ways of the Light. The House of the Sunstrikers was never really a family that considered itself wealthy – well-off enough, but never really in possession of extreme wealth. But money is not, and was never, a concern of mine. I was happy – the fortune in my future seemed certain. My position as a Blood Knight seemed secure. My courtship with the fair Blood Knight Adept, Thisillia, was progressing at a pleasing rate. I could have brought honor to the Sunstriker name… and then it all went horribly wrong…â€Â
Delandas's voice trailed off into the night as Takarn sat patiently and listened, and the two sat and conversed into the few hours just before dawn.
Is there anything else you would like to add, ask, or otherwise clarify?:
Are Alliance and Horde members able to interact outside of combat and standard emotes? Perchance a common language that they all share? Because that would be really handy and have serious potential for awesomeness. The server's awesome even if they can't though.
I checked the Wiki for rules regarding character death IC, but what about other deaths? Suppose you're leveling, because you want to work up to the level cap the hard way, and you're killed because you were caught unawares by a patrol – or, worse still, a griefer strolls by and decides that he's going to PK you without provocation or RP behind it. Maybe you fell from a really tall ledge – completely by accident. Is a return from the dead acceptable in those situations? If you DO die, is there a spirit healer that can resurrect you? Can you respawn at your corpse?
Also, my sibling would like to RP on your server as well.
I DO have a younger brother that likes to RP. He uses another computer in the household to log in, but we share the same IP address. His account name on the CotH forums is Thanrax, and he should be posting an introduction some time after mine. If nessecary we can both provide links to separate websites with picture confirmation that we are indeed two different people. If for any reason either of us should be denied while the other accepted, I would ask that the GMs please do not ban our IP address from the server, so that the accepted person would still be able to access the server. I will respectfully leave the server if I am denied, and I know my brother would do the same.