Welcome to the City of Artists. [OPEN]

[theshadowkissed]

Who: Greensworn and you
What: Befriending Derenaar
Where: Derenaar and surrounding areas
When: July 12-20
Warnings: bad Darnassian grammar, possible demon killings

[OOC: This post is for any and all interaction with Derenaar and the Greensworn helping the elves from scouring demons to rearranging the greenery to other daily quests up to and including showing other Dragonsworn around. Please remember to add your tag to the post.]


[When the Greensworn arrived at Derenaar, they weren't entirely sure what to expect. Were these elves going to be like the Sin'thalas elves and wish their destruction because of some grudge against the dragons? Or would they be more like the elves of Silverglen Retreat, willing to allow them access and trade but stay distant? What they hadn't expected was - after a lengthy conversation in Darnassian between Rose Hathaway and the elven leaders of Derenaar - to be welcomed in with open arms to the city.

With it being better than initially expected, the Greensworn set about proving themselves by helping out in Derenaar. It seemed a bag of demon heads and a few Kaldorei druids that still honored the Green Flight went a long way.]

Comments

C

[telaari]

[Toward the end of the week, Vas approaches the route Rose uses on her patrols. She's dressed herself in a simple cloth robe instead of her usual armor, and she's covered her head and most of her face with a cowled cloak, but there should be no mistaking the person under it all. Especially so since she hasn't given up her sword or her shield.]

[A master of disguise she is not, but it should not be immediately obvious to any Kaldorei in the area that she is the spitting image of an Eredar. Even under the cloak, though, there's no hiding that questioning tilt of her head, nor the curiosity in her voice.]

You had something to tell me in person, Rose?

[theshadowkissed]

[There was indeed no mistaking the draenei, but that didn't mean Rose didn't find the whole 'disguise' funny. In fact, she started laughing so much she had to lean against a nearby tree.]

What on Earth made you decide on that getup?

[telaari]

[One might interpret the sudden jerk of her head as alarm, but it's honestly hard to tell when she's so covered up.]

I-is that so funny? I didn't want to compromise your efforts here.

[theshadowkissed]

[After a moment of holding her hand up to stall Vastania's next words, Rose managed to get her laughter under control.]

No, no, I get that and appreciate it, but if you're going to go around looking like some tall mystic, you might want to put aside the sword and shield. A staff wouldn't look out of place.

[telaari]

A mystic? I wasn't trying to... never mind.

[She pulls the hem of the cowl back, since Rose seems to find it ridiculous. And it allows her to actually see where she's walking.]

Anyway, what was it that you wanted to discuss?

[theshadowkissed]

[Rose shot a glance back toward Derenaar just to make sure there weren't any night elves in sight.]

Couple things actually. One personal, one flight oriented. We'll start with the personal one.

So... you know how you were telling me about the Light and all that? Weird things are happening to me that I don't exactly know how to control, but they've got that whole warm tingling thing that I associate with when I deal with Spirit back him. Things like healing myself.

...and then one day I was taking out a scouting party of demons, trying to be all stealthy about it, putting them to sleep before giving them a clean death. Some elves came upon their camp and took off running, but they were getting chased. I yelled at the demons to get their attention and some golden-white light covered me and they all turned and came after me. Every. Single. Damn. Demon.

[She almost died then. If she hadn't been able to heal herself, she never would've made it back to the Sanctum for Morpheus to finish putting a magical Band-Aid on her.]

Is this normal for people here or am I just special?

[telaari]

[With her hood pulled partly back, there's nothing obscuring Vas' face as her eyes widen. She blinks a few times before she finds her words.]

That is indeed the Light. You, too, have been chosen to serve.

[She touches a hand to her mouth halfway thoughtfully, halfway shocked.]

[theshadowkissed]

[Apparently she was special. Rose wasn't too sure she liked being special in more ways that being dragonsworn. That came with enough strings, but here Vastania was saying she was chosen to serve. Serve what?]

I'm a Guardian. I serve the Dragomir Princess. What do you mean by being chosen? And why are you looking at me like I have a giant bug you've never seen before crawling on my face?

[telaari]

The Light chooses its own champions - those who it deems fit to use it. How or why it chooses, it does not answer. But if a Guardian is meant to be a stalwart and moral person, it may have been attracted to you because you are one.

[That Rose is still being flippant might mean that she's unaware of the gravity of this choice. Or perhaps she is flippant because she does. Either way, it's not a solemn thing! Her face lights up, quite literally so as the Mark of A'dal ignites above her forehead. She reaches out as if to hug her, and settles for resting her hands on the human's shoulders.]

This is a cause for celebration, Rose! There is no greater honor or blessing than to be chosen by the Light.

[theshadowkissed]

[Guardians are supposed to be dedicated to the protection of their Moroi. The phrase 'they come first' is engrained into every dhampir from the moment they become a novice throughout their graduation and promising. Guardians were expected to give up their lives if they must to ensure the Moroi they were assigned to survived. No matter what they wanted.

Rose had rebelled against it after she lost someone important to her, leaving to take on what most assumed was a personal vengeance, though it was in reality her keeping a promise. Okay, part of it had been selfish and the things she went through at that time... but she found her way back to Lissa and ended up saving her just as she was supposed to. Figured the last Dragomir and one of the few spirit users was such a prime target.]

Some Guardians don't take their position seriously, but we're supposed to be. Female Guardians are rare.

[And then Vastania reached for her, obviously happy, but Rose caught the other paladin's wrists before she made contact. Her eyes were focused right above the draenei's head.]

The hell is that above your head and if that's is how your people show you're all excited, you need to understand that I don't swing that way, no matter how flattering it is.

[telaari]

[Vas looks down at her with furrowed brows, mouth open as if to ask what's wrong. She sheepishly draws her hands away, and nervously runs her fingers through her bangs instead. The glowing glyph moves with her.]

Oh, no, this... humans do not have this. It's the Mark of the Naaru that I serve. When I became a Vindicator, I was anointed with this Mark. It's proof of my service.

[theshadowkissed]

[Vastania gets to be the first to see Rose's face flush. That had been so... embarrassing.]

Oh. Well, now don't I feel like an ass. Sorry for making stupid assumptions. Next time you can knock me upside the head.

[Rose rubbed the back of her neck before opening her arms in an offer of a hug, despite that whole more than a foot of height difference.]

Forgive me?

[telaari]

[No, wait, her face is turning pink now - and then she remembers that humans do that when they're embarrassed. She accepts the hug, leaning down to make it easier on Rose.]

Yes, I do. Now...

[She releases Rose carefully before she draws herself back up to her full height.]

You said there was another thing you wanted to ask about?

[theshadowkissed]

[Thank God, Vas forgave her. Rose didn't want to lose one of her few friends in this messed up land because she said something stupid and, now that she thought back on it, really offensive.]

Ah, yeah... So, this city here [with a thumb pointing back at it] is called Derenaar. My flight's gone in and made some really good relations with these elves, despite my shitty Darnassian - I asked my dragonmage to teach me. It's actually kind of weird. Since the whole Sin'thalas thing, I've been expecting just about every elf to want to stab me in the face, but these ones were like climbing all over themselves to welcome us.

It might be because they're mostly artists and there's practically no warriors here. So, we're protecting them from the demons and the trolls while helping out. Basically, I wanted a place here outside of the Emerald Sanctum for the greensworn to call home. And this is is.

My grand plan is for all dragonsworn to be able to call Derenaar home. But. [And this was a big but.] I know I can't bombard these elves with dragonsworn. One wrong move, one bad decision, and it can all crumble. So I need to take this slowly and methodically. Which is saying something, coming from me.

In a couple weeks, I'd like to see about introducing your flight to these elves. You and Carolina are some of the better friends I have here and there is that whole our Aspects being sisters thing. It makes sense to me to bring your flight in next.

What do you think?

[telaari]

[She considers Rose's words carefully, touching her tendrils as she thinks. It all makes sense, really, and they need to have some sort of support base if they want to have any impact on the Legion. Still...]

I think... you will need to be sure that you have their support before you try that. And you will need to talk to the leadership here. We don't need the people of Derenaar to react the way the elves in Sin'thalas did.

[A pause, entirely too long to be comfortable.]

Carolina is a good choice.

[But the way she says the soldier's name is too detached to be entirely pleased.]

[theshadowkissed]

[Rose simply raised an eyebrow at that tone of voice, but didn't specifically ask what the problem with Carolina might be. Though it did bring a question up.]

So, who is calling the shots in your flight, anyways? Is there someone else I should be talking to about this with once things are really secure here?

...and we're going to have to convince these elves that you're not Burning Legion. Not now, obviously, but eventually.

[telaari]

[Vas sighs and looks away from her.]

I... don't know. It is not clear.

[theshadowkissed]

Wow, okay. So I wasn't kidding when I told one of my newbies that we were the only flight to have our shit together. No offense, Big Blue, but you - more than most - has gotta know what happens when a force without a clear leader face the Burning Legion.

[telaari]

You... do not have to remind me. I know all too well what happens.

[He answer to Alexstrasza's question hasn't changed. Even if the Light can't answer her questions, she must not fail. This world will not suffer the same fate as Draenor.]

There are... rifts in personalities that we have not been able to resolve.

[theshadowkissed]

Personalities or ideologies? In my experience, personalities only define how a person accomplishes a goal and who gets along with who. But as long as the goal is the same, those kind of things are insignificant. It just takes respect.

Now ideologies is something different, but I'm not about to believe there's someone in your flight that thinks the Burning Legion consuming everything is acceptable.

I mean, has anyone tried to lead and gotten shot down? Actions to me always speak louder than words.

[telaari]

No, I think we all agree that the Legion is awful, and that is all.

[And the steely edge creeping into her voice should only reinforce that. She narrows her eyes, and the glyph above her head fades completely.]

Understand that besides myself, there are two people who understand the threat the Legion poses. One is a woman who would not want me to fight out of a misplaced sense of motherly responsibility. The other is entirely mad. The rest, though I have tried to teach them, do not know how, or do not wish, to go to war. And at this time, even if I could lead them, I do not know how I would.

[theshadowkissed]

See, if I were in your flight, there was a time when I would say to hell with those that want to sit all cozy in the Sanctum, grab the ones that understand and are crazy enough to follow me into battle and go kick ass. Because doing something is better than doing nothing.

But now... I get that not everyone realizes the Bogeyman is real and some really aren't cut out for fighting. And maybe there is logic behind having different branches. Maybe your flight needs to work like the Armed Forces from my world. Well, the human Armed Forces from my world. I learned about them during the couple years where I was trying to blend in with the humans.

[Remember, Rose isn't human despite looking and acting an awful lot like one.]

You got like the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Marines. You and the other hardcore fighters would be like the Marines. They tend to do tactical strikes. The Army are ground forces sometimes used in securing places, the Navy are sea warriors and the Air Force handles air support. Each branch has a general that leads their respective branches, but all the generals meet in a council of sorts, like the Joint Chiefs of Staff or something like that, and come up with an agreement as to where there people will go in response to the common threat.

And if I haven't totally lost you, maybe those principles will work for your flight.

[telaari]

[About halfway into Rose's explanation, Vas' eyes glaze over.]

These concepts are familiar to me. I have lived among humans, Rose. I have sailed on their boats and ridden on their airships. And they organize themselves much like we do, with the highest-ranked officers being the confidants of the Prophet or the human king.

[She lets out a sigh, more defeated than exasperated.]

What you say is acceptable to me. I do not know if it will be acceptable to my flight.

[theshadowkissed]

[Rose raised her hands before her.] Hey, I didn't know if the humans you're familiar with were the same the humans from my world. I've been learning it's better to not assume here.

And you've been on an airplane? Really? [She looked down at those hoofed feet.] You must be hell to sit in front of.

[telaari]

[The corner of her lip twitches upward briefly, and he allows herself a small chuckle.]

No, not airplanes. The gnomes make those, and I'm afraid that they're a bit too small for me to fly. I mean... a machine that is like a galleon, stripped of its sails and with engines that lift into the sky. Airship.

[She looks back at Rose.]

I mastered Common when I lived among the humans of Stormwind. I have learned many things from our allies in the East, but they have taught me nothing of war and strategy that I did not learn as an acolyte... except perhaps in sheer scale.