Algwenith

The sky appeared stained with blood, crimson strands of light fanning out from the setting sun. The air smelt of fish, and the salty breeze stung Malorie’s eyes as he sat on the docks of Booty Bay in his second best suit, balancing a stack of reports on his knee. He gazed out over the water, oblivious to the growing blotch of ink his idle pen made on the top leaflet of the reports. His thoughts were elsewhere, lost in memories of the last time he had sat on those docks, and with whom.

They had watched the sunset together, Rhahasia resting her head on his shoulder as they sat in a comfortable silence. The painting of her son, Tegwyn Algwenith BrightBlade, lay on the dock beside his free left hand where he had carefully placed it after she had given it to him.

Taneel finally fell back on his bed, his eyes couldn’t stay open, and now, he was confident he had set everything he could in motion. Marar and Gales were both still running about the city on their respective missions but he was fairly certain his plan would succeed. He looked at the scroll in one hand with a grin, the back at the small device strapped to his wrist. Everything was in place, all he had to do now was find Maldrin and he could reverse the effects of Rhahasia’s suicide and this time he wouldn’t be too late. A thought struck him and he jumped back to his feet.

*Day 4 of the 2nd Month of the Year 29*

Malorie lounged on the crimson velvet couch in the dimly lit study of his Silvermoon estate, inhaling the scented smoke of a few scattered candles and listening to the quiet sputtering of a single kerosene lamp. A thick layer of dust covered the drapes, which were drawn, blocking the faint starlight from permeating the room. Ancient oak bookshelves lined the walls, reaching up to the twenty foot high ceilings, like their gnarled living counterparts.

Malorie lay there, his angled face cast in shadow by the flickering candles, unevenly cut raven hair appearing almost as shadow itself. He clutched an old volume on alchemy loosely in one hand, reading to his cat Maya who lay curled on his lap, covering his fine wool suit in orange cat hair.
“If one were to add ammonia to powdered iodine crystals…”

Twenty-third night of the 29th year

            Taneel sat on a small hill looking through his telescope at Ratchet. Every few seconds he returned his gaze to Salieri as she walked through the streets. He wasn’t going to let Algwenith attack anyone again if he could help it. As he turned the telescope he spotted Rhahasia and Fandrind, then Janiil. From the looks of it, Ratchet was about to become the scene of the battle that would finish Algwenith... if only they could find him.  Taneel put down the telescope; he’d seen all that would help. He nudged Cherry and the horse began to canter down the slope to rejoin Salieri.

 ((Blog of Jasria's encounter with Algwenith after seeking him out. Let me know if I messed any of it up real badly Taneel))

 Jasria stands silently, her thoughts brooding and confused. Thinking back to what Taneel told her about killing Algwenith with thoughts of revenge and hatred. She pushes those thoughts away, Taneel is wrong. This is the right thing to do, Algwenith deserves to die for what he did. Even as Jas tells herself this she realizes her anger is what drove her here. To this small house in Elwynn Forest, to mail a letter to Algwenith pretending to be the hand maiden he'd met. Acting like she'd changed her mind about him and wanted to see the warlock again. Lost in her thoughts Jasria failed to notice Algwenith walking up the stairs to the room, it wasn't until she felt his arm drape around her that she noticed and jumped in surprised. Hearing him speak lowly to her, even as his voidwalker floated nearby

Theramore Isle, Foothold Citadel. One a.m. on the 21st day of the 1st month of the 29th year.

            Taneel awoke suddenly, his body tensing before he was even conscious of why.  Then it came to him, the tiniest dripping sound and the smell of blood. Instantly he tumbled from his bed and looked around the large room, it was deserted except for Rhahasia’s still inert form and...

Malorie Grey was usually a calm man. He USUALLY oozed a cold controlled exterior. But today…
As his eyes scanned Nisham’s report his fingers began a slow drum roll on the desk. He found himself clenching his jaw, and noticed a moment too late that the edge of the report had begun to smoke. He quickly smothered the flame, stood, and began to pace, leaving the report on his desk.
He fumed. He punched the wall. He threw a fireball at his rubbish bin and watched in satisfaction as it went up in flames. He crossed to the desk and picked up the report, crumpling it in his fist. He threw it at the wall.
Crossing to the window, he opened it and leaned out to escape the smoke from the smoldering remains of the bin.
What did she bloody mean she had let Algwenith escape?!

[[This report was left on the desk of Judiciary Sowelu, and distributed among The Silver Dragoons and the Stormwind City Guard.]]


Day 12 of the First Month of the Year 28
This report contains information of the sighting of Algwenith Shatan in Stormwind on the date listed above.


I first saw the man, before I realized his identity, crossing the bridge between the Trade District and Old Town. He was engaged in heated discussion with his demon. He mentioned the name Rhahasia, which immediately drew my attention, as she has been missing for some time. I followed him and caught up with him as he was passing over the bridge between Old Town and the Dwarven District.

I questioned him as to how he knew Rhahasia and if he knew her location. He seemed to be under the impression that she was still with me in Feralas, and quite angered that she hadn’t contacted him in over a week. He refused to give his name or explain how he knew her.

*Day 15 of the 9th month of the year 28*
Rhahasia was not sure how much time had passed since she had last heard Taneel's voice over the guild stone. She still sat slumped against the wall, but had long since stopped crying; she had no tears left, her eyes painfully dry.
"Rhahasia..." She heard the voice before she saw the man emerge from the shadows. He had seemed to materialize in the room. Cairn stood before her studying her blotchy cheeks and swollen eyes.
Rhahasia was shocked out of her daze. She stumbled to her feet.
"Cairn!"
She watched him as he looked nervously around the room, his eyes flitting to the crates and boxes around the room, as if checking to see that they were alone.
“How are you?”
"...I'm fine." She hoped the lie would slip past him. "How are you?"

*Day 15 of the 9th month of the year 28*
Rhahasia sat in the quarters she had been confined to by the Dragoons, staring at the floor a little forlornly. Water dripped from the ends of her silver braids.
She had managed to persuade one of the guards upstairs to escort her to a kitchen to heat water so she could wash. It had been so long since she had, not having a wash basin in her quarters. Now she sat, clean but wet, having forgotten to ask for a towel.
She heard a knock at the door, and looked up as Taneel entered the room. He was smiling sadly, as he usually did when he saw her these days. It seemed sadness was the only emotion she ever saw from people since she had been confined. She thought she might actually welcome anger, it would be a change, and it might help lift some of her guilt to be lashed out at. But Taneel was just kind to her, kind and sad, and she was grateful. He was the only person other than Algwenith that she saw often anymore.

 ((Note: "The large man" is intentionally left vague to allow anyone who wants to use this as an ic excuse to run stocks or to add more about him.  In short he's a convienient plot device))

Algwenith stepped into the cell and the guards accompanying him turned and slammed the door.  Looking around the small cell Algwenith saw only one other occupant.  A large man with matted hair chained firmly to the wall.  The man looked up and Algwenith as he entered the room.

"What are you supposed to be?"  The huge man growled.  "Your dress looks like there more fit for a little spell student rather than a high security criminal."

"I'm a warlock if thats what you mean, and I'm here because I serve the scourge."  Algwenith replied coldly.

The man's eyes widened a fration of an inch. 

"Really?  You might actually be of some use in that case.  Care to help me escape?"

The sky had just cleared. The rain had been hammering on the roof tops of the houses of Booty Bay all day. Now the faintest hint of sunlight shone through the quickly parting clouds.

Rhahasia sat on a roof top, huddled and drenched, watching the waves as they began to calm from what had been the rushing torrents that had hurled themselves at the small shacks of Booty Bay, snapping at their ankles like starving hounds. She sat and pondered the last few days events. So much had happened... She could not concentrate on any single piece of the jumble of memories, they rushed passed in a blur, leaving her feeling weak and vulnerable. She thought she might understand how those shacks might feel, as they met the onslaught of the waves.

Rhahasia sighed, she was exhausted after her encounter with Algwenith, and frightened of these new feelings that seemed to have awakened... Tempting her into a downward spiral she knew could only end in death.

She knew the risks involved, she knew that she would likely die at the hands of those she loved most, her countrymen, her guild, Taneel... She would not let herself be tempted by Algwenith; she would stay true to her original motives, to save Stormwind. She knew that for her to succeed she could tell no one. It would be too risky. There were too many eyes watching, too many people listening in, always, to safely tell anyone what she was doing. Stormwind itself could hang in the balance.

Rhahasia sat with Estel and Lissi on the dock of Booty Bay, watching the sun set. The air was far too moist and hot for her taste, but she could not deny that she loved the view of the sky, golden sand and waves lapping on the shore.

[[Ack, its too late at night to be writing such things. I hope it still makes sense in the morning.]]

    Taneel collapsed into a chair and closed his eyes, not even bothering to remove the heavy plates of armor he wore.  The last few days events flashed through his weary mind.  He felt like...