sometimes you can't make it

[modforged]

Who: Alexstrasza, Krasus/Korialstrasz, and the Redsworn
What: Successful retreat into the Ruby Sanctum
Where: Ruby Sanctum
When: After a long, grueling battle near the borders of Suramar
Warnings: Please PM the mods if any warnings are needed

[The Ruby Sanctum is a flurry of activity. This becomes clear within two seconds of stepping through the portal. The wounded are guided over to a grassy clearing surrounded by saplings and adolescent trees, bade to lay down and receive healing from other dragonkin. Some of the trees are years old, while a few look to have shot up recently. If you watch, vines engulf one fallen warrior; the body sinks into the ground, and a tiny sapling appears in its place.

Despite the war going on outside, the sanctum is less of a cavern and more like a self-contained dimension. Ample sunlight drifts down through scarlet leaves, which are occasionally home to the crimson scales of a whelpling. There is life everywhere: insects on twigs, birds chirping overhead, flowers at your feet. Dragon eggs lay nestled in the nooks and crannies offered by the tranquil forest. There is a decently-sized spring filled with fresh, pure water, as well as some small rocky outcroppings to sleep in. It's warm and comfortable enough to rest out in the open, too.

The cloaked and ever-mysterious Krasus stands watching the dispersing redsworn, his back against the massive oak in the center of the sanctum.

Occasionally, one may glimpse a beautiful red-haired woman with copper skin winding through the copse.]

[ooc: Mingle log for redsworn!]

Comments

[seesbosscrotch]

[Completely heedless of any potential transgression, an armored elf pokes his head around the outcropping, a bit too close to comfort.]

Ah-ha!

[He looks cheerful for half a second, then his expression falls.]

Damn. You're not the banker either. I'm starting to think there isn't one around here.

1/? oh my gosh lolol

[misterbrief]

[He was sitting comfortably in his little outcropping when suddenly...]

[misterbrief]

[misterbrief]

[misterbrief]

[HE STARTS TO TEETER BACKWARDS FROM SHOCK]

[misterbrief]

[...AND THEN YELLS AS HE FALLS FLAT ON HIS BACK]

DONE.

[misterbrief]

[To which he immediately whips himself back up, vein popping out of his forehead and yelling at the top of his lungs:]

WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, SNEAKING UP ON ME LIKE THAT?!

[seesbosscrotch]

I thought you might have been the banker. I apologize.

[He says this so matter-of-factly, too. He DOES mean it, he just... what was with that reaction?!]

...Are you all right?

[misterbrief]

I'm fine! [He snaps back, fuming. He'll be okay, he'll get over it.]

Why in the cosmos are you even bothering to waste your time with banking, of all things, we just came back from a battle, don't you have more important matters to attend to?

[seesbosscrotch]

Because I'm missing so many things, I had hoped to retrieve some replacements from them from my vault. Whatever brought us here seems to have been less than kind with my possessions.

[In his mind at least, that's an excellent reason.]

[misterbrief]

[He takes a short glance around himself. The only possessions he had on him were what was on him. Better than the first time, when he was left in just pants with a stupid book.]

You really think that your personal bank would have traveled with you here? Have you lost your mind? You're lucky you're clothed, let alone have anything else with you of the sort!

[seesbosscrotch]

Azerothian banks are very efficient. They have what you need, wherever you go. Probably magic.

The armor never leaves, though. [He flicks it with a finger.] Some days I forget it's not actually a part of me! Hardly surprising it showed up.

[misterbrief]

[He's not sure if Mer is insane or just stupid, on the basis of what he just said.]

You know, we could fix that by giving you a newfound appreciation for your armor. [He's thinking to take it to the edge of a cliff and throw it off, something along those lines.]

[seesbosscrotch]

[Maridian laughs brightly.] If you knew what this armor had protected me from, you wouldn't doubt my appreciation. But considering our present circumstances, it might not be a good idea to sabotage the war efforts of someone who's both on your side and has a slightly better idea of what's afoot than you do!

[misterbrief]

You know what's going on around here then? Somehow I doubt that. [STILL QUESTIONING YOUR SANITY, MER.]

Give me one good reason why taking that armor of yours and throwing it into a trash compactor isn't a splendid idea.

[seesbosscrotch]

I already did. The whole 'same side' thing. While the specifics may still be in question, I can tell you for certain that the Burning Legion is our mutual enemy and someone we must oppose.

If you want another, it's that you probably won't find that thing you want to use anywhere around here.

wow i just realized i spelled Mar's name wrong /face in hands

[misterbrief]

I'll find one. [Meaning he wants to find a way to be a trash compactor himself but he will fail miserably.]

Besides, what use are you of to me? Or anyone for that matter? All I see is some ridiculous elf running about worrying about his shopping list of useless belongings.

Same as everyone else who sees it >.>

[seesbosscrotch]

Useless?! I'm offended! Only ninety percent of them are useless. The rest I could have offered to a blacksmith to make valuable weapons and armor out of.

As for what use I am personally? You're not very good at working with others, are you. [nub l2p] Let me put it this way: if you're facing an atrocity eighty times your own mass or so, do you want to be the one getting hit by it, or would you rather its attention be focused on someone else entirely so you can go about inserting blades into its vulnerable ankle tendons? Because my solemn duty is to get hit by evil so you need not!

nooooooooooooooo

[misterbrief]

[He goes to say something, but then he stops. And he thinks. And after he's done thinking, which has taken all of two seconds, he cracks a wicked smile at Mar.]

Your solemn duty, eh? Ho, then perhaps I should rethink my opinion of you, now shouldn't I? You know, I might want my turn at fighting these atrocities myself, but if you're so anxious to throw yourself at them, then be my guest.

[seesbosscrotch]

No, no, you've misheard. [Relentless cheer seems to be one of Mar's specialties, even in the face of hostility.] We all are going to fight. There's not much option otherwise. But we each have our role to play, and yours is to deal injury to our foes, while mine is to take injury from them so you don't.

[He glances about quickly, then leans in, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.] I'm assuming you're not interested in healing!

[misterbrief]

Healing? [He leans back. No. Hell no he is not healing.]

Do I look green with antennae to you? [That's Dende's job.] Besides, when I'm beating the pulp out of our enemies, they're not going to want to attack anyone else but me. Because I'll be ripping them limb from limb, more than anything you'll be doing to them. [He really does need to l2p]

[seesbosscrotch]

Then I wouldn't be doing my job properly. But the righteous fury of a Blood Knight can draw the attention of a foe even in the face of a withering onslaught of suffering.

Trust me, I've had plenty of practice. People get so snippy when the monster begins slapping them around...

[misterbrief]

Is that a fact? You do realize that is not how battle works, the enemy would have to be insane to fight like that! And maybe those who are attacking should learn how to fight before they go and pester someone about getting hit. It's their fault if they can't defend themselves.

[seesbosscrotch]

Of course it works that way! Perception and information are crucial to battle. Manipulate those and you can keep an opponent convinced that you're the biggest threat on the battlefield, even when someone else might in fact be doing farm more harm.

As for defending themselves, anyone who's lasted in Azeroth long enough understands that principle. But specialization means efficiency! It's much better to have one person who can take the worst an enemy has to offer unbowed while the others strike at it, than everyone trading their offense for defense and no one being able to land a decisive blow.

[misterbrief]

[He's so confused, and completely convinced at this point that the elf has lost his mind. He gets what Mar is saying, but he just doesn't think it's possible.]

Have you ever been in a fight before? Even with more than one, the foes I have faced have been able to take on many fighters all at the same time and manage to defeat them all, sometimes in one attack. What you're saying is preposterous. You've completely lost your marbles, elf.