If you can recall, I originally arrived in Northrend at Vengeance Landing, a military outpost inhabited by the Hand of Vengeance - a group of Forsaken. Amongst them, members of the Royal Apothecary Society. When I arrived I had a chat with Apothecary Lysander who explained to me the purpose of Sylvanas' latest task force. They are trying to develop a new plague - one to counter the Lich King's efforts, something that can destroy not only living beings, but also the Scourge. Work on this new plague has been ongoing by the Royal Apothecary Society for some time but with little success until recently. Problems arose when they tried to carry the concoction across the icy seas to deliver it to its destination of Northrend. In doing so, the plague was weakened, causing mild sickness at best.
Apothecary Lysander asked me to take a sample of the weakened plague to Chief Plaguebringer Harris at a settlement called New Agamand in the South of Howling Fjord. Of course, I had taken a detour in order to help the Taunka with their crisises at Winterhoof Camp - looking back, I consider it foolish to have kept the plague in my posession for so long, epsecially during battle. I guess it wouldn't have done much harm had it leaked, anyway. I did eventually make my way to New Agamand.
They were also aware of the Vrykul threat I had worked hard to fight against on the behalf of the Taunka, and were already trying to infect them with the new plague to no avail. Chief Plaguebringer Harris was keen to recruit me to contribute to the refinement of the new plague, and sent me out to fetch new ingredients and taught me how to mix them. I now posess a greater understanding of the intricate workings of the new plague but it still took a lot of time to create a solution that could be successfully used to infect and consume the Vrykul.
Now all that was needed to be done was to infect the Vrykul en-masse with the new strain. Harris referred me to 'Hacksaw' Jenny who was willing to create an abomination carrier of the plague to deliver to nearby Vrykul settlements. They would be infected through the method of self destruction. Any living creature in the vicinity of the eruption of the abomination's plagued flesh was sure to contract the deadly disease. After collecting a few of the parts that Jenny needed to create our vessel I delivered him myself and sure enough, it worked! The plague was successfully deployed, and Howling Fjord is one more step towards becomming free from the Vrykul's grasp, and my work at New Agamand is done - for now. Plaguebringer Harris presented me with a vial of the plague to deliver to other Apothecaries around Howling Fjord and neighbouring Dragonblight but I have other business to attend to - in passing, the Kalu'ak have requested my assistance. Don't worry - the vial is in safe hands. Plus, it may come in handy under dire circumstances...
Tuesday November 18, 2008 Comment
Life here in Northrend is not as glamorous as I would have hoped. The Vrykul seem to be an aggressive race and I have had to perform such tasks as slaying and dismembering their bodies to deter further attack. I have also met a group of Taunka at Camp Winterhoof. Greatmother Ankha and Chieftan Ashtotem have been concerned about the goings on at Gjalerbron - a Vrykul controlled fortress just to the east of Camp Winterhoof. Apparently they had been performing living sacrifices in some kind of twisted awakening ritual to turn fallen Vrykul into Scourge warriors.
I ventured over there and managed to find cage keys on some of the Vrykul I killed and used them to free the prisoners - many of them Taunka. I'm glad that I managed to spare them their lives but I don't think it was enough. The Vrykul continue to capture their living sacrifices regardless. Deep inside the main building at Gjalerbron The necrolords are looking over dormant Vrykul that I believe can be awakened using a strange kind of wand-like device. I found one of them in the hands of a dead Scourge, but I haven't managed to use it successfully - the Vrykul that I apply it to keel over and die. I suppose I shouldn't be concerned - who knows what would have happened had I been able to re-activate them.
From one of the slain Vrykul I found a tattered and bloodied scroll detailing an attack on Camp Winterhoof by Glacion, a Frost Wyrm. I hastily took the plans to Celea Frozenmane who advised me that I should figure out a way to call down the Frost Wyrm and destroy him before it was too late. Upon investigation of the eastern side of Gjalerbron I noticed that there was a Wyrmcaller performing strange rituals around runic circles on the floor. With the aid of some nearby allies, we ambushed him and took a cold horn from his body - a device presumably used to summon forth his undead dragon. We used it to call Glacion from his position circling above and managed, with some effort, to slay him. Hopefully the attack on Camp Winterhoof has been temporarily averted but I don't think this will mean that the Taunka can live in peace. They are planning to push into the northern parts of the continent soon, where it is safer. I'm not convinced this is the best plan of action having heard stories about the fates of previous expeditions, but this land has been their home for a long time. As a spiritual race, they can sense the danger around them.
Apart from the Vrykul threat, there have been many other strange happenings around Howling Fjord. The delicate nature of the area has been disturbed and I can't help but feel that the Horde and Alliance expeditions are partially responsible, even though we wouldn't be here if it weren't for the Lich King and his Scourge armies.
The area has gradually been thawing and as a plea for help the secretive Frost Nymphs of the Frozen Glade have allowed themselves to be seen by outsiders for the first time. Their sisters from the Vibrant Glade have become twisted and violent due to the recent change of habitat. There are a few Taunka looking over the activities at a Dwarven dig site south of Camp Winterhoof. One of these Taunka, Sage Mistwalker, asked me to infiltrate Rivenwood (using a disguise) in order to help Ulfang - a distressed worg that had lost his alpha male status to an impostor. I have also taken a trip up Frostblade Peak to meditate at Frostblade Shrine - indeed, everything has been preying on my mind. It did help me to calm down a lot just by looking out over the world.
Saturday November 15, 2008 Comment
Early this morning I set off via zeppelin from Undercity to the continent of Northrend. Northrend is the continent from which the Lich King reigns and sends showers of Scourge over Azeroth to corrupt and destroy its inhabitants' bodies and souls. This is the first time I have ever set foot on lands north from my home of Quel'Thalas, and the air is very cold here. I flew to Vengeance Landing in the Howling Fjord and was greeted by the Forsaken. The people residing here all have one common goal - to destroy the Lich King and protect Azeroth from further destruction.
If I am to aid them in their plight, this is where I will be stationed for the forseeable future. I have met a few people here now, including Pontius, a plaguehound breeder whom I helped fetch meat for his pets. High Executor Anselm is leading the expedition and at his command I am currently looking into threats posed by the Vrykul - a clan supposedly unheard of for some time, up until the point that Horde moved into Northrend.
Thursday November 13, 2008 Comment
It seems that the Royal Apothecary Society have been undertaking research since the start of the plague, lead by Grand Apothecary Putress. Now stationed in Shattrath City, they have discovered a cure that is being distributed amongst the survivors. The infection is no longer such a threat as it was a few days ago, but that doesn't compensate for the irrevocable destruction it has already caused - major cities were plunged into chaos and smaller communities torn apart by loss. It will take time to truly recover from this outbreak. I will forever be haunted by the faces of people as the plague dragged them reluctantly to a sinister state of being. I am lucky to be alive, but the Scourge battle on, still emerging from the seemingly endless supply of necropolises.
As each day passes I can't help but feel like Azeroth is being plunged into perpetual darkness and gloom. People are scared, some have gone into hiding. I am completely unaware of what might happen next, but I will continue to fight for the Argent Dawn. I will never surrender my home to the Lich King.
Tuesday October 28, 2008 Comment
So I decided to return to Quel'Thalas. I made my way northwards under the cover of night, stopping briefly at Tranquillien. I knew that the Sin'dorei and Forsaken there would be willing to grant me shelter as I had helped them a year earlier to keep the Scourge of Deatholme at bay in their attempts to reclaim the Ghostlands. I feel sorry for the residents having to face the same troubles over and over, as though all of the efforts they had ever made were futile. Kalarin showed me to a room where I stayed until the afternoon.
It took me a while to walk to Silvermoon, my feet were tired and I decided to take a quick rest on one of the benches in the flower gardens in front of the gates. As I sat down, an infected Sin'dorei ran past. I saw him fall to the floor as he was gripped by the undead plague. As he rose, his head turned to glance at me, his eyes maddened with hunger, his flesh decayed. With what seemed like great difficulty, he made an approach toward me. I stood up to run, but at the same time, from over the horizon, I noticed a group of plagued residents skulking toward the city.
I had little time to react, I knew I had to run or I would be gripped by the plague myself. I ran towards the Farstrider Retreat to the east of Silvermoon, dodging the oncoming Scourge. Thankfully none of the Farstriders were infected. I explained to them what I knew about the crisis that Azeroth and the Outlands are having to face.
As we were sat around the bonfire, something outside was happening. Across the sky there started to appear giant necropolises, casting shadows on the ground. I knew about these structures from what I'd heard about Naxxramas - they hold members of the Lich King's undead army. Familiar glowing runic circles appeared around Silvermoon City. I fell to my knees and screamed. I knew just what this meant. It wasn't long before one of the Farstriders pulled me up and ordered me to go to the city, telling me I had to help fight the invasion or Azeroth would be doomed. I obliged.
At the gates of the city, I spoke to an Argent Dawn agent who asked me if I knew anything about the runic circles. As we spoke, I noticed that she was infected. It sent shivers down my spine - I excused myself quickly, the poor soul. I entered the city, where Argent Dawn officers had set up camp, recruiting any able bodied persons they could get their hands on. I presented myself to them.
People from all over the world were making their way to the Argent Dawn headquarters at Lights Hope Chapel, myself included. It was too dangerous to walk this journey, so I paid to fly by Dragonhawk from Silvermoon. The Argent Dawn at Light's Hope briefed me on the current situation and notified me of what areas the Scourge were attacking.
I joined forces with other fresh recruits and we made our way to the Blasted Lands where there was a reported Scourge attack. There were the same runic circles as before only this time situated at the middle there was a necrotic crystal and higher ranking members of the undead army were being summoned by it. We had to attack. They were tough, but no match for the combined powers we posessed. As each member died, their soul bolted for the crystals, weakning it. If we kept this up, we would eventually crack the crystal and keep the Scourge at bay.
As the necrotic crystal was weakened, four engineers appeared and started to heal it. They seemed oblivious to what was going on around them, and their spells could not be interrupted. You could tell that they were under the Lich King's control - his order was their command, and nothing could deter them from it. With combined efforts, we eventually managed to disrupt the healers, causing them to turn into shadows - incredibly powerful beings.
With my imp minion by my side and combined effort, the recruits and I managed to take the shadows down. It was a tough fight, our entire party weakened and wounded by the end of it - but we were alive, and we had caused one of the necropolises to retreat having exhausted its crew.
I cannot rejoice at the insignificant victory of yesterday. As I write, more necropolises are taking the places of the ones that we and other groups of recruits are destroying. The Scourge are not backing down. Azeroth is a dangerous place to be. I am constantly on guard. The plague is still gripping civilisation. I hope that we can pull through this invasion as we have done so many times before, but the death toll continues to rise.
Sunday October 26, 2008 Comment
