Trade Princess Senneca made her way through the crowd, distributing drinks off a platter as she spoke. “I know I’ve been away a long time” she said as she passed out the drinks “but I’ll explain everything in due time.”
The campfire roared behind the small goblin and cast sparks over Bloodhoof village into the night air. The crowd had assembled to hear Tall Tales, and was waiting to hear the next story. They had no idea what was in store or them.
As she finished passing out drinks, the Trade Princess stood before the crowd “and now, if you’ll join me in a toast” she prompted the crowd, raising her own glass, “To friends re-united!” she exclaimed and she took a long swig from her mug as the crowd did the same.
“As most of you know, I’ve been gone for about 6 months. During that time, I haven’t just been sittin on my hands” Said the Trade Princess as she paced before the crowd “It turns out my cartel scientists were on a breakthrough developing a new weapons project that has the potential to change the course of this war.”
The crowd leaned in, intrigued at the suggestion.
“However,” said the Trade Princess, turning to face the crowd “We were betrayed.” At these words, those who had assembled to hear the Tall Tales event froze in their places.
“While out on our secret weapons testing site, we located and killed a gnomish spy. Documents found on his body suggested he was part of a team. The team escaped to report their findings before we could eliminate them.” Senneca looked the crowd over slowly, “The only way they could know where we were is if someone tipped them off.”
The members of the audience began looking nervously amongst themselves as the Trade Princess continued “someone I thought I could trust, someone in this very crowd, is a rat.”
Senneca continued, as the crowd sat in stunned silence, “The drinks I passed out and you consumed were not distributed randomly. Those who were loyal allies of the Cartel have been spared, however, those who have been found to be spies have been poisoned.”
The crowd gasped, and those assembled looked around in nervous apprehension as each contemplated what they had done to deserve the scorn of the The Trade Princess, and assessing their own condition.
“The innocent have nothing to fear,” continued the goblin, “however, those that have been poisoned have less than 5 minutes to claim this antidote I have here before their condition becomes irreversible.”
Senneca smirked, and watched the crowd as each evaluated what they had done over the past few months and whether she could possibly suspect them.
Just before the 5 minute mark, a nervous looking Pandaren jumped up from the crowd and came forward. “Please, I beg you, I tipped off the gnomes, please spare my life and give me the antidote!” The panda begged.
Senneca pulled a small vial from her blouse and offered it to the Pandaren, “I trusted you.” the goblin said as the panda drank hungrily from the vial. Suddenly, the panda began to writhe and scream, as the horrified crowd watched until she at last grew still.
Senneca looked out and addressed the crowd: “The rat has revealed itself, and in doing so has set the example. There was no poison drink, the “antidote” the traitor saught was itself the poison! The gnomes have figured out that we have technology that could change the war, and they will do anything to take it for themselves. Trust no one, and watch for signs of the alliance invasion. The time may come where I will ask you to answer the call for the Cartel. FOR THE HORDE!”