warforged | Now collapsing like the rain (Open)

Entry tags:

Now collapsing like the rain (Open)

Who: Valamia and open
What: Trying to shaman, now with rain showers
Where: All around the forest
When: A week around the beginning of August
Warnings: None

The Elements didn't respond to her the same in this time. Valamia had the same trouble when they first crashed into Azeroth. What little she knew at that time regarding shamanism felt like it was thrown out the window. Since arriving to this time on Azeroth she felt she same as she had then. It made her decision on what to do feel all the more strange. She was not the first person who wanted to jump up and make herself useful but she did need a distraction. That distraction was ultimately going to come in the form of attempting to keep the land and elements a pure and untainted from the Legion as possible. It may not be the boldest choice. It wasn't running headlong into the army or even removing a few imps. The task was however, was one that she truly believed she could manage. That was all that mattered to her.

And so she wondered the forest to a spot she felt or believed a pack of lowly demons had been slain. In each spot she set down two totems and sat between them. She would whisper briefly in Eredun and call upon a rain to cleanse the land. To answer her, the elements granted her that cleansing rain. It didn't encompass the forest, no it only stretched out around her for a couple yards at a time. Isolated showers weren't ideal but it did work. In time black smoke would rise up from the earth and begin to dissipate. Once the smoke stopped rising it was a sign to her that it was as close to pure was she could get it. The rain would come to a stop and she stayed seated. Considering that she was both wet and frustrated, she wasn't in any rush to get up. Her distraction wasn't leaving her to feel any better. Maybe the feeling of accomplishment for doing something for the greater good would kick in...eventually.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"That depends on the supplies. These are elves who benefit from the Well of Eternity -- a rod that's enchanted to ignite with the end touches might not be out of the realm of possibility." He forbade to say that modern engineering had produced some truly fantastic portable fire-starters, because she'd probably think he was an idiot... y'know, more so. "That's why we should look into it. At the least, though, we can discuss bringing bodies to a central location for disposal."

"That is assuming we could get more than one of those." Considering how friendly everyone was with each other, she had some doubts. Silverglen tolerated all of them but they weren't exactly the friendliest of the elves. She couldn't imagine any of the other elves being any nicer. "How many people do you imagine would be willing and able to lift or drag those bodies?" She knows she wouldn't.

"Anyone who takes the reasons behind it seriously will make the effort one way or the other, and I'll do what I can to persuade them that the reasons are very good ones."

An idea suddenly struck him, born of the connection between Silverglen and the elements, specifically earth... "I don't know if this is something you can manage, so no harm if it isn't, but is there any way you could try to sound out any hidden metal deposits within a reasonable traveling distance?"

She looks about ready to protest to that. She wants to tell him that maybe someone else should try and persuade anyone to listen. His request is enough of a surprise to keep her from making that statement.

"Why would-...you want to go mining at a time like this?" She's dumbfounded.

"For rough gems, primarily. The Silverglen elves put a fair amount of value on some things I know how to make -- I spent a good while grinding stones and setting them in rings and necklaces and the like for them, that's how I managed to get the loan of a nightsaber. Better materials means more trade value, and that's all to the good, especially if we're going to try to get more supplies of them."

That's right, he's an accomplished jewelcrafter! Right along with chef, and don't think he hasn't considered whipping up a feast or three to earn the flight some favor.

How could anyone so insane possibly be able to do a single bit of proper gem-cutting, setting gems or anything related to any form of jewelcrafting. That could go on the list of things she didn't believe coming from him.

"I'm supposed to help you find places to mine, instead of doing...this." This being her sitting around and drying off. It's a valid excuse.

Mar could almost take pride in how well he's sold that image to her.

"Not instead of, but if you have the time and energy, and think it's worthwhile for the effort. You're much better a judge of any of that than I am." If Vala refused him just out of general spite or cranky, aged bitterness, he wouldn't be surprised. Mar continued to refuse to rise to the bait.

"Is that supposed to what...charm me into helping?" She would give him the benefit of the doubt of him simply being nice, all things considered. On the other hand he was still a insane blood elf. The only reason she didn't tell him off by now was that somehow he had managed to listen.

"If you want assistance I will help later. I would prefer to rebuild my connection with the elements. I doubt asking for ore is going to rebuild that connection."

"I don't have the slightest idea how to butter you up," Mar said with cheerful honesty. "I'd try and compliment your horns and your tail and I'd get slapped or punched or both at the same time, and deserve it all. No, I just know that you're the one who knows what you're doing and I'm the one asking for stuff.

And she hadn't turned him down flat, so if that really was a rejection it was at least diplomatic. Progress, which he accepted with a nod of agreement for her terms. "In the short term, would this be a good place to bring more demon corpses as needed, or should I pick somewhere else?"

"If you ever commented on my tail, you'd risk losing an eye." Because the idea of anyone in this whole mess to comment on her tail in a positive aspect was almost sickening. "You really are trying to be sensible, aren't you?"

"That would depend. I haven't a clue right now how far we are from the Sanctums or any villages." All things happening at the moment she hadn't paid much attention to direction or location. "We would also need to consider either posting people here."

"So long as it's not the hair." He ran fingers through his long ponytail as he tossed his head, so over-the-top even he possibly couldn't be serious.

He picked up a convenient stick nearby, the better to sketch out a crude map to indicate for her where they were in relation to Silverglen. "I hadn't realized, until I saw you doing it, that I didn't have the shamans of the Horde behind me working with the elements while I was out doing my thing. Or, I knew it, but I hadn't put two and two together to reach the obvious conclusion." The mistake was easy to make, especially since he'd been thrown into areas that had no such support in the past -- Pandaria being one, but Pandaria had the whole issue of the Sha clouding its lands in turn... but he was acknowledging he made it. "It's not something we can ignore. I've seen the angry elements."

She could nearly skip into a thousand different crude comments. He did set them up and with that behavior she's fairly certain she doesn't need to say anything. If he thinks his hair is any comparison to hers though they would need to talk someday.

He was making an effort. That was something she couldn't chide him for. He may be insane but he wasn't running off on suicidal missions or doing everything by himself. It was progress. "I have heard them. Angry elementals are not the quietest. When it is anger born by corruption and neglect...I imagine we'd face a nearly justified fury."

"Which wouldn't really put the Legion out at all." That was the really unfair part. THEY had to be careful and responsible and deal with the Legion and placate the elements and everything, while the Legion could just do whatever the hell it wanted.

Except piss off the Old Gods. Legion vs. Old Gods, he'd better on the Old Gods handily. But if it ever came to that, well, that was it for existence.

"Not the slightest. All it would do is take our grave disadvantage and make it worse." With her being ever the optimist, she wouldn't be surprised if that concern were to turn to reality. She was but one shaman and she had no idea how many people could and would help.

"This is insanity."

~~"THIS! IS! AZEROTH!" followed by Mar kicking her down a pit~~

"Well, it does historically end up with the Well of Eternity exploding and sundering the continent," Mar said. "I wouldn't be surprised if we have to duplicate that feat in the end."

To think some of her people liked this planet! Such a questionable history for a planet that still have its people on it. "I take that back. This is far beyond insanity. This is beyond words." What were these Aspects thinking by dragging them into this mess? "If that's the case there might as well be no point to what I'm doing."

Hey, Azeroth had a lot of things going for it if you could look past the fact that it was a nexus point for battle between some of the greatest evils the cosmos had ever conceived of. Or if, like Mar, you felt that its winning history against those evils was something to be proud of.

"Sure there's a point. Trying to make things better. I know how it ended in MY timeline, but this one is different already, and we have no guarantee it'll end the same. If Sargeras starts poking his head through the Well, then yes, we'll probably have to blow the place up if someone else doesn't, but if things go differently, every little bit counts."

Unfortunately Valamia didn't share the same kind of drive or motivations. Old age and the desire to go down the noble path or take pride in a victory was more of a youthful persons belief. She would have been content to sit by and tell people when they're being foolish.

"You are annoyingly optimistic." ...Oh wait. She could have sworn she only thought that. "The Legion is involved and they will take top priority, we both know this. That means any of my efforts to aid the elements will come second. With that in mind we have no idea who, if anyone, is also working to aid them. If there isn't then this pointless. If there is then ...this may not be the worst project for me to work on."

"Of course I'm optimistic! The alternative is despair, and I'm not one for that." Which wasn't a criticism of her, just a statement of his own options.

"Historically, again, the only ones on the side of the Legion were the Highborne directly serving Queen Azshara -- which, given the power of the Legion and the Well of Eternity, was all they needed. In fact, I would be surprised if the shamans of the troll empires weren't working on the elements in their own way, which means far from being futile, this will actually be quite helpful to us." He couldn't help but smile in an effort to be reassuring.

It was a good moment considering she had no desire to argue against it. She knew it was what some young people believe. At least people who were far, far younger then she was.

She shakes her head. His efforts to be reassuring were going to waste. "That doesn't accomplish much. I don't speak any troll language and I doubt you do. How do we know what I am for and what they aim for is the same?" Not to mention the various other problems. Her being a Draenei, Eredar if one wanted to go by what a person is when they were born. Language barriers. There were a lot of problems.

Mar had also had the good fortune to live on a world where a confluence of factors and sheer grit had made some of his extreme optimism pay off in spades.

"I think 'elements, please don't go crazy from anger and start causing us untold misery' is a goal we can safely ascribe to them. So at least you're not trying to wrangle the elements of the entire continent of Kalimdor by yourself. That's something, right?"

It was a pity that spending a lifetime, or a couple depending on race, running between worlds does ruin the idea of optimism. Were she only a few thousand years younger...and not a shaman. All of this would be easier.

"I don't think a plea without promise of aid to elements will do much good." At this point she's not even trying to shoot him down. He's useful to bounce ideas off...to a degree. "And again, is there anyone we know who can communicate with trolls? If we don't it's ultimately the same as being out here by myself."

"They're not accepting communications right now." As in, 'lucky I was prepared to flee at speed'. "Though in time that will change, I hope, when they catch on to just what a mess the Legion is causing. Definitely better if we can think of some way to promise aid... thoughts?"

"The Legion is a greater threat, that is not up for debate. It will demand out focus. It also means that at some point you and Vastania will be around and try to guilt me into getting into this fight. It'll consist of the plea of needing help, calling me a coward or saying that I'm simply a cynical old woman. Maybe all three." She expected Vastania to do any of the later as she was one of the few who knew she's spent a life fighting. It was almost as if all people were expected to be willing to jump into the face of danger regardless of life, age or job.

"At the point the trolls realize that the threat the Legion and the threat of deranged elements, it may be too late to establish a connection. Even if they do who knows if it's possible to win their favor anymore. That is also under the assumption there's enough of us alive for whatever we're doing to count."

"I prefer the assumption that our actions matter, because it's better than everything having been dictated by a merciless fate already." Which was the essence of Mar's convictions, and one that had played out well for him so far!

He had several arguments prepared to encourage her onto the battlefield, and although they had different nuances than what she was saying, he figured she'd break them all down into one of those three categories. So he didn't even bother to dispute that point.

"I do look at getting the elements' help as just one part of fighting the Legion, though. I mean, definitely in favor of it in general, but also in the specific."

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