Carena Meia Vhitaker-Vasile sighed as she walked up the dirt path from Garden of Respite in Bastion. She looked up at the sky. Golden and bright; even at night; at least she thought it was that time. Bah! Really bright as it hurt her already damaged eyes.
She wished she hadn’t broke her shade-tinted glasses when she had first come to Shadowlands. Granted she was wearing her dark framed glasses that wasn’t shaded. Heh, it was still better than nothing as someone could fall off Bastion if they weren’t careful.
Some wore glasses in order to look more ‘intelligent’. Not her, she needed glasses in order to be able to see more than ten feet in front of her- and that was during the daylight hours. Nighttime or in buildings with poor lighting, her bad vision was worse. Maybe five feet at most was all she could see without glasses and that was fuzzy shapes.
One might wonder why she had even come to the Shadowlands. Right now, it was doing a task in Bastion which she had finished a bit ago. Her main reason she had come was to look (in her case hear) if the souls of her relative, Uncle Greywell along with Malgekk and Donrick were in the Shadowlands or rather The Maw, as she found out since arriving.
She sighed irritably. A mutiny happened one of the families ship; Henrietta’s Bane around the time Nazjatar was revealed on the ocean floor. Normally, Uncle Erdin was captain of that vessel but due to family emergency, Uncle Greywell was standing in as Captain at the time.
His flagship was undergoing repairs and upgrades plus most of his crew went off to Darkshore to fight for ‘vengeance’ for Teldrassil including his first mate, Tiberius Tibson. Greywell didn’t mind covering for Erdin.
Uncle Greywell usually would have been able to spot the mutiny and prevent it but due to distractions and trickery, he was knocked out and taken captive in the mutiny that happened during daytime along with Donrick- the oldest crewmen onboard, Tibson- Tiberius’s worgen son, and a passenger; Coriani Arrowind, a blood elf huntress and her gryphon pet Featherwing.
Failiani Arrowind, Coriani’s young adult rogue cousin, was also on the vessel on the time of the mutiny but was able to escape thanks to grabbing a hearthstone and using it. Car found the scared, weak blood elf rogue in Anyport who told her about the mutiny. The young adult elf was recovering slowly from injures sustain being held on a Kul Tiran pirate ship as a slave.
A short time before finding Faili, Car obtained evidence from Freehold that ‘Little’ Finn, the tall worgen second mate of the vessel was looking to willingly join Queen Azshara and mutiny against the ship; bringing any surviving prisoners as ‘gifts’ to the Naga Queen. Her intel indicated he possibly had aid from a void elf female but she hadn’t expected to hear that over half the crew joined in his plot as well.
She sent a letter to Vailey Vhitaker-Vasile; her cousin and co-captain of the next ship they were to be in charge of, asking him to make amends with her over a prior incident by keeping an eye on Failiani and let him know of the mutiny takeover. Carena then took off on Gryphy- as she found out he could fly long distances- in an attempt to find Henrietta’s Bane and help take back the ship.
Did they find the missing ship? NO, instead Gryphy ended up flying to Nazjatar with a few small stops along the way. It actually surprised her at the time considering he had worse sense of direction of any gryphon she had seen and heard of. If he could find that blasted place, in theory anyone should be able to.
After being healed of a nasty illness she had before arriving on Kul Tiras by an Ankoan healer, she decided to help out with the battle while keeping an ear out for the missing vessel during the time she was there. It never came over the water wall and from her info; the mutineers were searching for Nazjatar.
Either they had been dealt with or they had even worse sense of direction than Gryphy. She got her answer from Vailey after the fighting in Nazjatar died down and she went to Anyport in Drustvar to check on Failiani and him.
Vailey showed him a letter from Uncle Erdin; explaining what he knew concerning ‘his’ ship. He was still having to deal with the family emergency (his wife, Sandra Lily had been seriously injured in a fire and he had to take care of her and their two younger kids) and wasn’t able to meet in person with them.
Basically, Malgekk- Greywell’s third mate on his flagship and main cannoneer who was a former peon- was able to get aboard and free the captives from the ship’s brig, killing the insane void elf the mutineers had stowed aboard.
With the arrival of ‘Tall’ Dale, Erdin’s first mate (despite his nickname, he was short in height for a worgen), the mutineers were dealt with ruthlessly; mainly by Uncle Greywell and they got control of Henrietta’s Bane. However; Dale was seriously injured in the fight (he was wearing a red shirt) and the ship itself was cursed a few minutes before the battle was over.
Hence, they had to abandon the ship before the curse took full hold. Erdin was able to talk with Greywell briefly via a scrying stone in a stairway that lead to the deck while a lifeboat was put into the water.
Erdin and Greywell talked about the situation and few other items including that an island had been spotted, seemingly abandoned. The lifeboat could make it there and with any luck, he would be able to summon a portal and be back to the docks soon; hopefully in time to get Dale to a healer as there was no medical supplies left on the ship.
After a few minutes of the ship being abandoned, it was overrun with void-colored tendrils that destroyed the scrying stone. The family still wasn’t sure if the Henrietta’s Bane had sunk or somehow still able to float due to curse but Car and Vailey were ordered to keep an eye and ear out for it.
Uncle Greywell, Malgekk, Tall Dale, Donrick, Tibson, Coriani and her pet Featherwing didn’t return a few days after abandoning the Henrietta’s Bane. Days, weeks, several weeks and a few months passed by with no sign of them at the family docks or anywhere for that matter.
They were still missing. Either the island was inhabited by hidden hostiles and they were taken prisoner or her uncle hadn’t been able to get a portal up for some reason and they were still stranded there. Car leaned on the latter thought as did most of the family and Failiani.
This mutiny had an effect on them; including the family business that was formerly piracy. Greywell made a brief suggestion before abandoning the ship and Erdin as well as Car and Vailey agreed and decided they would attempt to reform piracy into a force of good. Pretty much an impossible task but someone had to try and it might as well be them.
Greywell’s crew of his flagship- well, the ones who had survived fighting in Darkshore and come back- had agreed to it as well. This latest mutiny plus the Teldrassil burning had a reforming effect on them.
The family’s business priority first in tasks was searching for the missing persons. Not officially as no authorities had been contacted, at least on the Alliance side. This situation was considered a family matter.
A gnome mage was ‘hired’ by Tiberius; who was more than enraged about the mutiny situation and wanted his son found alive. Granted Vailey is one but he didn’t know much about scrying at the time and they needed an expert. Car, Vailey and Faili did go along with him to meet the old mage…
The venerable gnome mage didn’t want any gold to do the scrying; he was old and money wouldn’t do him any good once he was dead. He wanted to do one last good deed for a desperate father before dying. He just needed something sentimental that belonged to one the missing persons which Tiberius supplied; a stuff toy Tibson would carry around everywhere when he was younger.
The gnome started the scrying and spotted Tibson first sitting around a campfire, along with Coriani and a green haired night elf male- obviously someone who had washed up onshore from a different shipwreck. He also spotted Coriani’s pet, Featherwing sleeping and noted the gryphon seemed to be overweight for her size.
When asked if he saw anyone else and if the location had anything unique, the gnome replied he didn’t see any of the others that were missing. He saw buildings of an unknown style, the island wasn’t a sandy atoll but had a few sandy beaches not to mention lots of gravestone markers; some old while others were ‘recent’.
The old gnome continued to scry and started to mention something about sensing a magical force when he suddenly collapsed into unconsciousness. Tiberius ran to find a healer that he spotted at the nearby inn quickly as she noted his breathing was slowing. The night elf priest came and tried to save the gnome but to no avail as he died a short time later.
The gnome mage had no family but he had a friend who handled the affairs while they quickly made plans for a voyage to find the missing persons. Vailey sent a letter to Uncle Erdin who then replied via note they could use the old family ship, Stormchaser. It was the second built ship in the fleet and currently oldest one left.
They searched for a time for the island that the gnome scryied but couldn’t locate it. They searched many, many islands; Carena lost track of the amount of places checked. The last island (a rocky one with many cliffs) they checked for the missing persons, rogue dragons attacked.
They were defeated but not before the vessel sustained damage; it was still seaworthy after the attack but barely. The ship wouldn’t last if ambushed again by anyone, even the Scourge. Car and Vailey made the hard decision to return to family docks for repairs and talk about the next step to find Uncle Greywell, Cori, Tibson and the others with them.
Once they got back, Vailey sent a letter to Uncle Erdin, briefing him on what had happened so far while Car handled getting the repairs started to the damaged ship.
Their uncle replied via letter that he still couldn’t meet in person as much as he wanted to; Car hadn’t seen him since before… arriving on Kul Tiras. His wife had fully recovered from her injuries but Yale, their youngest son was worsening in health. Not to mention Ellareed, their younger daughter had some serious mental issues going on.
He ordered Vailey to start reading Greywell’s massive book collection at the hidden library at the docks and learn to scry quickly; Erdin felt his nephew had the capability to do so. Car was to re-verify their crew’s backgrounds to prevent a mutiny on their ship when it was ready and keep an ear out for any information pertaining to the missing folks.
Vailey went to reading books while she did the background checks of their crew. Granted, their ship (no name yet) was still no where seaworthy- it still hadn’t been constructed yet due to many, many setbacks.
It didn’t take long for Car to re-verify the backgrounds of their crew. Most passed with the exception of one. The ship alchemist who had a goblin name despite looking like a gnome. While his paperwork did make the claim that he was a goblin that got transformed into a gnome after an ‘accident’, the gnome could be certifiably insane, too…
They sent their first mate, Failiani to Kalimdor for various tasks, including verifying the alchemist’s identity. She was to determine if a goblin with his name actually existed- supposedly the goblin bruiser Qixilixa Quickfuse might be able to help with this matter if she could be found. Something recent had caused that goblin to keep a low-profile.
After they sent Faili off, they talked what to do next. Carena was going to go to Freehold but Vailey heard rumors that one of Car’s enemies was hanging out there with help to ‘get’ her. He was hesitant on his cousin going to that location to obtain information by herself. Car didn’t want to get her twin brother or his fiancee involved and he agreed along with Tiberius who was listening on the conversation.
That worgen then joined in on the talk. He had known Greywell since they were kids and he was very loyal to the business and family. He knew that if there was serious danger, his captain would lay down his life for his crew, especially Tibson and even Coriani. With everything that had happened, her mage uncle would consider the huntress part of ‘his crew’.
While he thought Greywell, Donrick and Malgekk were still alive, they had to prepare for the possibility that they might be dead and the reason they weren’t ‘spotted’ in the scrying. The old gnome never mentioned how recent the gravestone markers.
As it was, they were all convinced that one of markers was for Dale, unless the abandoned island somehow had medical supplies on it and his injuries got treated and he wasn’t dead.
While that was a possibility, one that Car and Dale’s family would love to consider, it was far more likely the island didn’t have anything medical and the worgen had died some time ago. Dale’s older sister Erma really missed her little brother.
After a brief discussion about the Shadowlands, it was decided that she and Gryphy would undergo the dangers and come here to look for the souls in the case they had died while Vailey would continue to learn potent yet safe scrying spells and look for them in that regard. Tiberius would sneak into Freehold briefly to get any possible info before tracking down a few stragglers of Greywell’s crew that hadn’t returned.
They would keep each other updated on progress made. And she had… mostly.
“Does the brightness bother you? Maybe you go back to that Venthyr hole or even back to Azeroth, Carena.”
Car irritably glared at the kyrian female who spoke to her but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t Tamesis who was normally there but two kyrian female- both she didn’t recognize. They seemed to be together; were they what was referred as soulbinds? Was that like a marriage? Who knows…
“Come on, Chloia. At least be nice; she is nearly blind and didn’t have to help with the task in the garden.” The other female Kyrian spoke while staring at Carena, looking intently. “Besides, I sense she didn’t join the Venthyr on willing terms.”
“She must be atoning for past ‘sins’, then. If she had join our covenant, she’d be better off.” Chloia replied before looking up at the sky. “I better head off to training. I’ll catch up with you later, Zoea.” Chloia winked at Zoea before running off to the road and heading north.
How do they know what covenant she was ‘part’ of? Maybe it had something to do with the denizens of Shadowlands knowing her real name. At least a few of them had listened to her request about using an alias.
She was with the Venthyr but that only due to Gryphy being held captive by them. He dropped his um, ‘droppings’ on a few of them while flying in the air and they managed to catch him while she was fighting off a beast in The Endmire.
The rogue tried to convince the Venthyr who took Gryphy to free him; he probably confused them for loyalists to Denathrius, it didn’t take much for that to happen given his recent health decline. It was to no avail. However, they did a proposal. If she did work for Venthyr Covenant for a time, they would free the gryphon once the work she did was completed.
She agreed, provided they treat him well and not harm him. Besides; at the time she figured she could do her original task while doing the covenant work.
That happened… not too long ago but she was getting frustrated. Even with the souls pouring into the Maw, she had no evidence that Greywell, Donrick and Malgekk were there or even deceased. At this point, she figured they were still alive and stranded on that island; perhaps gathering food and were just out of view during the scrying.
After all, the living had no business being in the Shadowlands, something the denizens here had repeated to her many times…
She sniffed the air and almost coughed; her sense of smell could be strong at times when allergies weren’t bothersome- she figured it was make up for her poor eyesight. Her hearing was also heightened. However, the smell in the air made her shiver instantly. It was familiar; Decaying flesh- the smell of someone living who hadn’t bathed in years. Gross!
O fel, not him; the bastard Kul Tiran male. She didn’t know his name or what he looked like due to him wearing a helmet; most of the time. The one time he didn’t have one on, the room was too dark for see his facial features due to her poor eyesight. He was tall and big, quite muscular for one and his accent was still Kul Tiran. And he didn’t bathe due to superstitions.
Had he really come to the Shadowlands to capture her? All she knew was that she had to get somewhere to hide and quick if that was the case. She hadn’t told her family about this threat. Her hands started to shake as she quickly glance around.
Car saw the shape of a tree and hid on the side opposite the road, so in the case he came by he only spot the trunk of the tree and not her. She was hoping she hadn’t been spotted by the bastard Kul Tiran even though he was some distance away on the road. He had worked for Ashvane in Tol Dagor as a guard and had an heightened sense of spotting and capturing ‘stealthies’ as he called them.
Her hands, no, her whole body was trembling. This was the last thing she needed in case the bastard had spotted her, she needed to be able to put up a fight but her body wouldn’t quit shaking. In fact she found herself sitting down, unable to move.
She was startled as this had never happened to her before- maybe because she was in Bastion and it was an unknown effect of being here? Who knows. The Kyrian did purge memories; good and bad ones from folks. There was a kyrian nearby and while she seemed friendly, she was sure if Zoea would help out. Thankfully Chloia left otherwise Car would be screwed.
Her memories started to flash before her. Yes, she had ended up in Tol Dagar after being shipwrecked on Kul Tiras shortly before the Burning of Teldrassil. She ‘sneaked’ aboard and sabotaged a slaver ship- one that thankfully had no captives on it at the time of it sinking.
She ended up on shore near Castaway Point where she and Gryphy made their way to Ashvane Foundry. What she heard going on there was enough to make her mad and try to do something about it with the gryphon causing his own mayhem in minor damage to the property.
A good and bad idea as she got captured (technically arrested) for freeing a few enslaved human orphans and helping them escape- two boys and a teenage girl. Gryphy got away too but that was due to the rogue chasing him off shortly before the guards apprehended her- an act that caused her to lose control of the the mount until shortly before Nazjatar was revealed…
Carena gave the goons a false name after they ‘interrogated’ her before they transported her to Tol Dagor (without a trial) where she was held in a cell, one that was cold and bit damp but thankfully no cellmates. Apparently she had ‘seen too much’ at the Foundry, despite the fact Car had lost her glasses in that shipwreck and hadn’t seen much, but she did hear a whole lot of intel…
Flashbacks of what this Kul Tiran did to her at Tol Dagor prison started to flood her mind. That’s where she first met the bastard. It was suspected she wasn’t truthful not to mention she might have been a pirate rogue based on her choice of weapons.
Pricilla Ashvane with Harlan Sweete at the time was bullying pirates into joining her from what she recalled hearing from the guards. This bastard Kul Tiran asked permission from Overseer Korgus (whom Car didn’t see in person) to interrogate her; claiming he could ‘get her to talk quickly’ which was given.
Not only given but he was allowed to use any methods of torture he wanted and no one would interfere. None of the other guards got in his way; even when he also found her attractive and… knocked her out before… hurting her in violated ways she didn’t want to think of but happened, more than one occasion.
Tears streamed down her eyes; she didn’t really want to relive those memories right now. Thankfully a riot happened and she was able to escape from the horrid prison. And she hadn’t gone back and wouldn’t now- the one time she might have considered it was when Faili was taken by the Kul Tiran pirate Captain K. Quilendrius and they didn’t know where she was.
Even though Ashvane was dead and dealt with, this bastard survived and was still after her. And no, he was very skilled as a fighter; far more than she was. He had tried to abduct her on two other occasions and Car barely gotten away; her weapons nearly broken each time.
One was due to sheer luck (in her case) as two orc rogues attempting to ambush him at the time. He really hated orcs and dispatched them as she sneaked and used her hearthstone to get away. The other time was due to Gryphy helping her escape. She didn’t have her mount to help her out now and she wasn’t sure if Zoea nearby would be able to help in a fight; the kyrian seemed to be an trainee aspirant. Best to stay hidden.
Light, protect me… One might be surprised to know a rogue; a reformed pirate rogue at that would think about the light. Her eldest brother Venn is a paladin (a cranky one at that) and she as well as her older twin brother Danner had to listen to him read his librams repeatedly as an older child and teenager.
Plus she had a childhood friend, Loriessia that was starting to train as a priest before dying far too young.
Maybe it would help her here or not as she heard him on the road, directly across from the tree as he got off a big gryphon; one of the Kul Tiran types. He got a new mount since the last time she had a run-in. She tensed. Something had gotten his attention. He stooped down and picked up something; glasses and a fabric case that were on the edge of the road.
If it was possible for the rogue to shake more than she was, she did. Those belonged to her. How… when did she drop them? Car should have careful and not drop items but then again; she hadn’t been expecting him to show up.
The fabric case had her initials embroidered on it. She never revealed her name while being imprisoned at Tol Dagor but this Kul Tiran had figured out what it was since that time. He was intelligent enough to figure out who this belonged to.
“Excuse me, have ya seen a pretty human lady recently?” The Kul Tiran bastard asked Zoea who was sitting nearby; his Kul Tiran accent quite strong.
“There have been a lot of travelers through this way including pretty ladies. Mind giving a description?” Zoea asked.
“Ya, I can. She has curly dark red hair, blue-green eyes that are a bit damaged but a pretty face and cute nose. Her teeth are a tad crooked but clean. She wears glasses similar to these. Her skin is fair with few freckles…” He continued to give Zoea a description of her, gesturing with his hands when talking about her height and skinny build.
Car shivered and shook her head when he talked about her small booty (why did anyone need to know that?) before talking about her green leather vest and black leather armor under it as well as her weapons choice of sword and dagger. She looked at her armor, realizing she forgot to bring a spare armor in a different color. No way was she going to wear the armor of the Shadowlands…
Zoea asked, “Why do you seek this person?”
“We are partners and have business that is past due…” The Kul Tiran answered with a smirk.
“I see. ‘Business’ Well, I did see someone matching her description and overheard a conversation she received a… while ago. She got offered a task at the Theater of Pain in Maldraxxus. She said she’d hearthstone back to the covenant to get supplies before flying there.” Zoea replied. “She used her hearthstone and left. I can tell you she isn’t with the Maldraxxi so it’ll take her time. If you head to a flight master and leave soon, you could get there before she does.”
“I better hurry then. I appreicate the help. Come Orcslay’, let’s go.” He turned toward his gryphon and hopped on it. The Gryphon then went south, likely toward the flight master at Aspiriant’s Rest.
Orcslay’? She knew the bastard really hated orcs; to the point of wanting them extinct. Not surprising that he’d give that name to a gryphon but it was still a terrible one, at least in her mind. She thought Danner naming one of Gryphy’s hatchlings Claws was unoriginal for a gryphon or him naming a female black tabby cat Farts was terrible…
Zoea looked up at the sky briefly in the southern direction before getting up on her feet. Car found her body still trembling too much to move as the female kyrian walked over and knelt down. Flashes of dark memories overcame the rogue as Zoea touched her shoulder briefly getting out a bell and ringing it for a short time. Surprisingly, Car felt herself calming down and her body trembling less.
“Easy Carena, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you pain with those memories.” Zoea sighed. “I know the paragons tell me I must purge all my memories to serve but now I realize I knew you in my previous life.”
Car blinked. Seriously, she hadn’t found any souls of anyone she knew, at least friendly souls since arriving in Shadowlands. Zoea wasn’t her uncle or any of the others with him that had gone missing since that was recent; after the drought in Shadowlands started. Still, who was she? “How long have ye been here?” She sighed after asking as that would narrow it down.
“I died a few years before the Cataclysm. Chloia who was here earlier has been in Bastion for many, many centuries. You were very best friends with my daughter; who was murdered by bandits. In fact you visited me some days before my…” Zoea blinked, her voice trailing off.
“Mercia?” Carena sighed as Zoea nodded. Mercia was Loriessia’s mother and as a human had light brown hair, blue eyes and very tan skin and was petite in size. To see Mercia… Zoea with dark blue hair, glowing silver eyes and nearly tall as a vrykul was startling to say at least. “Sorry…”
“Don’t be troubled by my death or even Lori’s death- I saw your memories. I know she wouldn’t want either of us to dwell on it this long.”
Carena nodded with a sad sigh. “Aye. That be true.”
“I always had regrets about not being more protective of my child. I was so busy with my priestly duties. I should have been home more. Even after her death, I still served. My sense of duty must have sent me here.” Zoea reached out a hand to Car to help the rogue stand.
“I presume Lori’s soul isn’t here.” Car reached out to Mercia… Zoea’s hand and stood up. She was still a bit shaky in standing up.
Zoea nodded. “Not from what I know. Frankly, I hope she’s at rest in a more peaceful afterlive that I’ve heard other kyrians talk about.”
"I hope so… " Carena replied, agreeing with that remark based on what she had been hearing during her time here. “Thanks for sending that fel bastard Kul Tiran away.”
“No need to thank me, Carena. I’m doing what I’m suppose to. Protect, even if it’s not with weapons yet. I’m certain he would have cut me down quick in an actual fight.” Zoea replied. “Still, I would avoid Maldraxxus for a time just in case he doesn’t run into the arena and meet his end and instead plans a trap for you.”
“I wasn’t plannin’ on it.” Car sighed; hopefully the Venthyr wouldn’t send her on a task to that location in the next few days at least. As it was, she was hoping to be done with their business soon. She then heard Zoea motion with her right hand for Car to follow along. “Do you know his name? I presume he’s was wearin’ that blasted helmet and ye didn’t see his face.”
“No, I don’t. I can tell you that the others who would know it won’t tell me, let alone you if asked. And yes, he was wearing a helmet so I didn’t see his face.” Zoea let out a sigh. “If I had seen his facial features, I would tell you. That way, you can figure out his identity on your own.”
Carena nodded slowly. “Okay.” She figured they wouldn’t be able to tell her a name even if they knew. “It’s… frustratin’.”
“I can tell it is and I don’t blame you, Carena. He harmed you greatly in that dark place. I realize you haven’t told anyone, not even your brothers…” Zoea said quietly. “We can talk more at Hero’s Rest for a time; including the reason you came to the Shadowlands. Then I would suggest you head back to Sinfall and rest there…”
((I know it’s a long post but it’s how I write. Hopefully future posts will be shorter. OOC; This was something I was planning on doing this in late BFA but real life happened (my dad died) that took me away from the game for a time. I apologize for vanishing without speaking.
I have modified the story line a bit. I’d consider this a continuation of The surviving hunt thread that I made on Coriani, my huntress alt.
I hope this Car’s reasoning for being in the Shadowlands and Venthyr covenant makes sense and isn’t too crazy. She may not think of Gryphy as ‘evil’ per say but the Venthyr aren’t in the wrong, either.
Carena does have a bit of a dark backstory but it’s kind made her who she is. She had really bad things happen to her at Tol Dagor; I kinda alluded to it without using certain words as I’m trying to keep the post PG or Teen rated- I think that’s the rules of the forums.
If I got any of the covenants or Shadowlands lore incorrect, I can edit and correct it. Everything I know is based on Carena’s experience in-game. (My alts are being leveled up but I’m doing that on Azeroth proper.)
I may make more small edits (most spelling and punctuation types) in the future. Maybe even a thread title change if needed.
I can answer any questions in-game on Carena or Coriani.))