Prologue:

It was a stormy and gloomy night at Ratchet, the goblins were nonetheless doing their work with all the usual vigor. Should small group of adventurers pass through or stay for the night, neither of which were uncommon, they would have to try to avoid losing all their money to the inhabitants' avarice.

At the inn, a small group of people, all of whom could be classified as adventurers of some kind, had collected around a large table within one of the bigger rooms. The people seemed to be from all walks of life and originate from all parts of the planet, sharing no connection at all with each other. However, all had been called to Ratchet for the same reason.

In one side of the table sat the one who had called them together, an oldening orc. All the other adventurers took looks at him from time to time to see if he was ready to explain the reason he had called them.

The orc had an unshaven, crude face which showed experience and skill, but still contained a few scars, testifying the times those abilities had failed him. He was currently wearing a toughened armour made of devilsaur leather, but the scarf which normally covered his lower face in battle was lying on the table. A pair of swords hung from the orc's belt and a hunting bow lay on the ground, forgotten there in its misery.

Opposite to the orc sat a tauren, glad in a suit of metal plates and having a large axe leaning against her chair, looking at the pint of beer on the table. Her dark armor was dusty from her travels, but still completely undamaged, shining with the multiple enchants cast in it. Next to her sat an elderly dwarf in a green mail armor and carrying a blunderbuss rifle. He seemed the most interested in his surroundings of all the people in the table, taking constant peeks at the other adventurers through his green-lensed goggles.

Opposite to the dwarf was a jungle troll in an assassin's gear and carrying two sharp knives. He possessed a ragged green hair and symbols painted around his face, and had also seemed very interested in the gold coins the dwarf had used to buy a bed from the inn. Left from the orc was a night elf in a simple leather robe and carrying an unornated staff. He had long blue hair and a green beard, both of which looked as if they had not been washed for days.

The sixth and seventh chairs set around the table were empty despite the orc having had especially asked for seven chairs from the owner of the inn.

"Shall we begin?" The orc said suddenly, not waiting for any answer. "As you all know, we are here for an... adventure, which I have been able to coin together. Before I am going to begin briefing what exactly I want help doing, I'll make one thing sure: If anyone following me is going to bring political tensions or prejudices onboard this mission, they may leave at this point already. Whatever factions you might represent normally have no standing in this mission and should you accept my proposal, it is better you forget your normal allegiances 'till we get back."

Everyone in the table seemed to be aware of this and there were no protests. After a short silence, the orc continued: "You all know that I am Kerrah Bonechewer, but unfortunately none of you has ever met each other, at least as far as I know.

Each of the people sitting around this table are old acquintances of mine. I have invited the lot of you here, knowing that you are people I can trust. I believe that if we want to accomplish even some kind of team spirit, which we will need in the future, we have to introduce ourselves here and now."

For a moment, everybody seemed to wait for somebody to step up and begin the introductions, but before anyone could start, the door of the tavern opened and a goblin stepped in. He was wearing a red armor suit that had many signs of damage in it and had a eye patch over his left eye. "Ker," he said, "the ship will be clear for take-off come morning. All the supplies you listed are loaded." After acknowledging the news, Kerrah invited the goblin to sit in one of the empty chairs. The goblin agreed, crumbling: "Okay then, as captain, I need to know where we're headed anyways."

"This is captain Krixxiz," the orc introduced, "I met him during the Second War, he deserted the Horde, not intent on the low pays and high dangers. I gave him enough money to escape south. He bought a ship later on and nowadays makes a living by transporting adventurers across the seas for a fee." The Goblin smiled at the other people who sat at the table and said: "You can pay extra to get a more comfty room, just come ask from me later on if you are interested."

For a moment the table was silent again, then the night elf asked: "Might I ask whom the seventh person we are expecting is?"

"A representive of the people I am working for," Kerrah answered cryptically, "they are pretty precise people and would not let me run the operation on my own, not unless they have a pair of eyes and ears following me. She, the representive, that is, is a very accurate person, so we can expect her to be here before tomorrow."

Again, the table was quiet for a moment, but finally the troll broke the silence and started the first of the introductions: "Tas'nal is the name and sublety is the game. I met Kerrah a few years back in Ashenvale forest while doing a commission for the Silverwings. That's about it."

"Wait a minute," the night elf interrupted, "the Silverwings wouldn't let a troll work for them."

The troll simply smiled at the proud kalodrei and asked: "Are you that sure?"

The dwarf, sensing that the two needed something to distract them, started talking: "Hugo Glacierbrew, adventurer extraordinairee, veteran rifleman of Ironforge armies and a member of the Guild of Adventurers of Kharanos. First met Kerrah years ago when he tried to sneak past Khaz Modan into Lordaeron. I spared his life and years later he paid back by helping me out when the officials at Ironforge had mistaken me to be realted to something... awkward."

The tauren told: "My name is Nara Spikehoof, I'm a brave in Thunderbluff. I was sent to Silithus to combat the creatures in there. I met Kerrah in the front, he was collecting some parts of the silithids for the apotecharies at Lordaeron."

Tas'nal the troll nodded and asked: "Does the Alliance general there still pay well for sabotaging Horde supply lines?"

Before anyone could object, Kerrah quickly changed subject. "Ahem... I think I could start the mission briefing now." Everyone turned their attention to the orc, who held back a moment, preparing himself.

"Has anyone ever heard of Redrock Island?" Kerrah asked. Everybody shook their heads, even the goblin captain. "It was the westernmost piece of land in Human control before Theramore was founded, it's located west from Gilneas. The island was inhabited by the crew of a Tirasian ship centuries before the great wars. The captain of the ship and his children became the Barons of the island and they kept close relations with the continental nations and Kul Tiras.

The island was named after the red kind of stone that seemed to be located all around it, the first baron soon found out the rock had powerful magical qualities and seemed to be useful as an alchemical component as well. Dalaran soon became good friends with the inhabitants of the island, trade relations were enstablished and tons of redstone, as the rock was dubbed, was transported to Dalaran each year.

What changed this all was the Second Great War. Dalaran needed all suplies and gold for the war and didn't have time to look over its favourite island. The last Dalaranian ship between Redrock and Lordaeron took each capable man from the island to make war against the orcs. Few of them returned after the war but Dalaran didn't seem to be interested with the island anymore.

For years the inhabitants of the isle were alone, seperated from the rest of the world, where another great war took place and Dalaran was wrecked. That isolation lasted until last year, when I found a fishing boat originating from Redrock island, along with the remains of a family of fishers, on the coast of Silverpine Forest.

The fishers had been sent to Lordaeron to deliver a message, but had died on the way, probably shipwrecked and drowned in a storm. The message was still in reading condition, and I realised after reading it that it was something that could be worth a lot if used correctly." Kerrah took a sip of water and opened his backpack to show the others the note he had taken out of the wrecked ship. Nara Spikehoof took it and read aloud:

"If there is any grace in the Nation of Dalaran, like there was so many years ago, please help us. The mines are full of them, they come from our new mining tunnel like the orcs came from The Great Portal. Our resistance is hindering, half of our soldiers are already dead. Soon they will spread all around Redrock and kill us all. Every moment counts, please send reinforcements as soon as possible. Do not let the demons take our beautiful island.

Gustalf Oakmast,

The Baron of Redrock Island"

"I took the note to Dalaran and met an agent of the Kirin Tor." Kerrah continued "She agreed it was something interesting and showed it to a few of the surviving magocrats. They decided something needed to be done, but did not want to gather a strikeforce themselves. Maybe they chose me to collect a number of adventurers half-hoping I would consider the challenge a reward for the task I had done." Everybody seemed a little off-balance, Kerrah waited until they had digested what he had said and then continued: "We have three objectives: To find the source of these demons and put and end to it if possible, get the family hairloom of the Oakmast family, a powerful magic ring, back and finally to bring them as much redstone as possible."

Everybody was quiet for a moment again, then the night elf, who had still not introduced himself, continued: "So, the seventh person is a reprensitive of the Kirin Tor?" After Kerrah nodded, he continued: "I thought they did not want to have anything to do with this mission expect getting our report after we are finished."

"They did not have enough resources, time or agents to send a full team," Kerrah explained, "but the very agent I brought the letter to volunteered and is coming with us to see we do everything as intended and to work as a specialist on the island itself. She was born there but moved inland after the Second War ended."

Again there was a silence. Nobody said anything until the night elf finally seemed to have decided to join the crew and chosen to create the link between himself and the others by introducing himself. "My name is Lostrar Highsky, I am a member of the Cenarian Circle and was taught druidism by Cenarius himself. For the last year I have worked as a travelling agent, wandering around the known world, seeking places that might be of interest to the druids. I met-"

His explanation was interruped when a woman wearing a heavy travelling cloak with a downed hood opened the door, stepping in. "Ah, Miss Ashbank, it is good you could join us so soon," the orc across the room greeted her, "please join us by the table."

The woman gave a nod and slowly walked to the empty chair. As she did, Kerrah gestured at her and spoke to the others: "This is Eliza Ashbank, she is the agent of the Kirin Tor I mentioned. Now, there's a thing-"

Then, as she passed by Lostrar Highsky, he suddenly flew a hand, throwing her hood off her head. As the cloth moved out of the way, everyone could see that the woman was undead, her skin rotten and her eyes purely white. As she backed off from the druid, he shook his head. "I can sense undeath when it comes to me, miss."

A few of the adventurers stood up, reaching for their weapons, as the mage suddenly punched her hands forward. Before anyone could react, a blow of magic sent the druid flying across the room.

"That is no way to treat a proper lady," the woman warned, raising a thin, skeletal finger.

Kerrah told everyone to sit down. "As I was about to inform you, Miss Ashbank is undead. I will not go into length at why the Kirin Tor trusts her, but if you consider her dubious, I trust she can give you a wizard's oath on her allegiances."

He let his gaze sweep over the others, challenging them to protest. A wizard's oath was a powerful spell known by the magi of Lordaeron, designed to immidiately show if its caster was lying. There was no known way to cheat one's way past the spell.

After a period of silence, the orc made sure Lostrar Highsky had sat back down and sighed. "Very well then, I think this is enough for the night. Unless anyone has any questions, I think I'll go take a good night's sleep. We depart tomorrow morning. Hopefully the travel will be short and our quest when we arrive will be without any larger complications."

"The commodore is dead, captain."

Captain Hamunar raised his head and focused his eyes on the elf who had delivered the news. It not was his job to deliver information to his brothers-in-arms. He inhaled deeply. "I predict there is something more you want to tell me, and perhaps propose something." The elf was not surprised. The time when he was still surprised by Hamunar's ability to read other peoples' characters was over.

"It is confirmed; Only two ships have survived the battle, the other one is already sailing to the nearest harbour to deliver the news of our victory to the High Command." Hamunar stayed silent, the elf still had more to say. "Our unit is almost entirely intact, the enemy never saw us coming, just as you expected."

Hamunar was now getting impatient, he rose up, his hooves stomping on the floor of the cabin. "High Mystic Shadowleaf, I have heard this all from your subordinates, speak your mind, I am busy trying to predict Wintermaul's next attack."

The Elf rolled his eyes quite visibly and spoke: "The Scourge knows we are weakened, they will just send multiple ships and sink us, we are no good for Lordaeron in the bottom of the ocean."

"That is quite a bold suggestion." Hamunar said. "Run away from the enemy, even though you just said our unit is almost intact? This is the first time ever I sense the coward in you." The mark of light above Hamunar's forehead glowed bright. The Elf seemed frightened of the Draenei for the first time during their time as the two commanders of the ship.

"What I was thinking about was..." He began. Suddenly the door opened and a paladin ran into the room, instantly saying: "Captain, gargoyles incoming from the north!"

Hamunar sat down, calmer than before for some unseen reason. "Sail south and ready the cannons. You two, leave us as well."

The two guards in the room left with the messenger paladin. The captain and the mystic were left on their own. "What is your exact suggestion, Andulias?" The draenei asked. "You always plan a step ahead."

The Elf seemed bothered with telling his plans, but spoke nonetheless. "There is an isle far away, so far that there isn't a chance we can find any trace of the Scourge there. I have seen it in my dreams, calling to me like a beacon. I can separate it from normal dreams however, there is something inside that island, something evil. We are not to underestimate it, for that something is, as far as I can tell, demons."

The draenei seemed disgusted with the idea of deserting their place, but nodded for Shadowleaf to continue. "I have studied it from the books I have with me, it is Redrock Isle. It's barons were powerful wizards and I even found sources saying the Kirin Tor hid their magical artefacts on the isle before Dalaran was destroyed during The Third War. If we could find even some of the secrets of the isle, it could help us greatly in our fight against the Scourge here."

Captain Hamunar stood up and asked: "Give me a single good reason to not execute you right now for the crime of high treason."

The elf blinked twice, surprised of such an aggressive reply. "If we return home, escaping from the Scourge navy, we will be demoted or killed all the same. If we stay, they will kill us and turn us into their own troops. Redrock isle is the only place where we can serve our cause without causing harm to ourselves!"

For the great surprise of the elf, Hamunar sat down dismissively. "I know that. We are sailing to this mystery isle of yours when we have got rid of the gargoyles. If we find some of those items you mentioned, perhaps we can give them as tribute to the High Command so we can keep our hides. And whatever the darkness on the isle be, it will be vanquished in front of the power of the Scarlet Crusade."

Darkleaf smiled a broad, elven smile. "Blood and Light, captain."