About Elves:
I'll keep this bit short, but Elves between Warhammer and Warcraft have some similarities but a lot of obvious differences.
In terms of similarities, both are naturally long lived, both are naturally proficient with magic and both have reasonably similar asthetics among their "High Elf" subspecies.
However Warhammer's Elves were a deliberate creation of the Old Ones meant to fight Chaos, and all three subspecies having a extremely simple divergence from eachother do not have as dramatic differences between one another as the Warcraft Elves. Also Warhammer Elves I would argue are far far more arrogant see "i put the entire world at risk as part of a ploy to kill a big bad i have a grudge against" vs "I almost made the world explode because I lost a popularity contest"
Also the longevity of both races is...a bit odd, technically Warhammer Elves are immortal, yet only Two of them have lived past six thousand years, not counting those who popped through magic warp portals and the like, with all the rest either dying of ill described 'natural causes', poisoning, accidents, or just straight in battle. While thanks to the Immortality given to them by a tree most of the Night Elves major characters are over ten Thousand Years Old, and many treating a decade as one would treat the passing of a month.
Physically the Elves of Warcraft are dramatically different than Warhammer's Elves. as Warcraft's Elves are a product of the evolution of the Warcraft Troll species. As such you might even notice slight 'tusks' in the teeth of the Night Elves. The Warcraft Elves also have extremely long ears that move more like a wild animal's ears would. and lastly Warcraft's Elves with all their cultures are far more likely to integrate with the rest of their world's societies. Where of the three Elven Societies in Warhammer the one most likely to take and use developments from other races does so as a product of slavery, and the one most likely to have members living among the other societies of the world is still considered extremely insular and allows almost no outside access to their nation.
Lastly the level of development of each of these Elves is oddly similar yet distinct. The Night Elves and Wood Elves (Asrai) are extremely similar in terms of their development, yet there is a clear distinction, the Night Elves achieved theirs through Druidic practices and talking with the Nature Gods, the Asrai achieved their development through moving into and living among the Forest Spirits of Athel Loren and agreing to effectively punish/outright murder anyone who harms a tree of the Forest for any reason. Otherwise the High Elves, Dark Elves and all the other elf breeds of Warcraft actually have very distinct development from one another and have less to compare on a one to one scale.
Replies:
010101010101011: There's a few encounters I've been debating, between different characters and different groups.
AReader: Well at least they have enough respect to do it behind his back and haven't devolved to just doing it right infront of him. But Honestly when given the choice between Jaina and a new king whose past major contributions have been mainly needing daddy to save his butt then having to hold daddy back from full racist goku, the People's of other nations might want to side with the lady who can solo battles and fights that entire armies had failed.
Hakuryuu: It's Azeroth they have a horrible track record with portals...despite the last two times the Dark Portal was used, they were able to immediately start a interplanetary war (thus showing the incompetence of their foes), but also their current "caution" isn't so much caution but them playing safe while doing something incredibly stupid.
Hakuryuu: Thanks, i have to say I like that fanfiction as well but I really wanted to explore and contrast both settings rather than have a End Times invasion.
Guest(1): The Empire is actually fairly "tolerant" they still have ignorence and history in spades, but they'll accept Tilian Mercs and Ogres, which puts even longtime antagonists and past invaders in Empire ranks.
Guest(2): There will be some moments of it, but generally Warcraft already has Horde vs Alliance vs *insert waaaay to easily defeated God level foe here, while Warhammer ironically Chaos is the most easily unified force when it comes to something like the Alliance or Horde, in namely they wouldn't have any response outside what they do to everyone else.
Guest(3): Thats a cultural issue, I mean from their perspective why would they need to explain the obvious.
micelzod: I dont know about that, compared to 40ks wikis, and what i can obtain from the codexes and from youtubers that wiki seems fairly empty comparatively, I'm looking for details to help flush things out, i know the general world very well as i used to play tabletop Mordheim and Bloodbowl tabletop a lot.
Opened Door
Late at night Forsaken walked the walls of the Scarlet Monestary while the living engaged in the act of sleeping. While the living slept Launchalot Bloodfeeder walked along the outer wall the Hoard had built around the Monestary. Guard duties had gotten harder as the Portal Project has gotten more successful. Not because of outside hostiles or spies, but because the Horde itself. More member states have become increasingly aware of the project and had been trying to have their say over iadventurers have increasingly come by, camping out hoping for either a new invasion or to be able to access the potential riches of a new world.
Before the defense had no adventurers, now the Crimson Monestary housed eighteen of them and had routine visits from small bands of additional adventurers every few days. The main outer barricade had even been widened to accommodate the wagons and the foot travel now heading up to the Monestary on the routine. On top of this Launchalot had to monitor Lilian many of the woman's personal beliefs and aspects of her past made her just as much of a threat to the Forsaken as a asset, or so the briefing he had received from the Queen had told him.
Launchalot was extremely devoted to Sylvanas. Formerly a Knight of Lordaeron he fell when Arthas took the capital only to raise as a flesh hungry slave of the Lich King. He was consuming Elf flesh when Sylvanas was turned and the Sunwell fell, and later when they were able to regain their own free will he was already serving under Sylvanas' command.
Since his transformation Launchalot had been rejected by his former comrades, but he's also learned the strengths of his new form. To enjoy the flesh of thsoe he defeated, and to make himself undefeated through savagry and Knightly skill combined. He replaced his shield will a clawed gauntlet with a small buckler which allow him to pull flesh from bone, he left his mouth open so he could consume that flesh, and he replaced his lance and sword with a barbed and hooked mace so that he could more easily take his enemy's flesh for his own ravenous consumption.
Launchalot Bloodfeeder had become worthy of Sylvanas' notice. After years of faithful service slaughtering Alliance Footmen, Militia, and even Worgen he now was here, watching over Lilian on the Banshee Queen's personal request accordingto the messenger who had delivered him his orders. While here he was to act as the woman's second in command, but was really her judge and warden, testing her loyalty to the Forsaken and he was to slay her if she was found lacking. The Undead knight enjoyed that idea, smirking to himself as he continued to walk the perimeter, he watched both sides wary of his own allies as well as of outside threats.
A snapping twig caught his attention and the Undead looked out into the darkness. The sound was close, and if yet another Alliance spy or some living foe dared he would make their death quick, however if they ran certainly the Undead Knight would wish to make their deaths slow and painful.
"Who goes there?" No response, Launchalot moved out from the wall, an Undead archer covering him. "Come Now, surrender and I assure you, you will live." A lie but one the Knight would gladly use to get the intruder to show themselves.
Another twig snap grabbed his attention and Launchalot span in place, behind him ran the intruder scampering away from the undead in absolute terror. The small fawn ran at its full speed its white tail waiving quickly as it ran. An loud bang followed the fawn as a bullet peirced the small animal and it quickly dropped, meanwhile an Orcish hunter walked from the wall and collected the corpse. While the intruder was a disappointment, Launchalot still sighed in release of the tension and returned to his patrol.
Frustrated at the lack of a victim to kill Launchalot made to return to the Monestary. At least he could return and finish his night with yet another satisfactory report and further observations recorded to potentially damn Lilian Voss. Not that he was deliberately out to get her, the Undead Knight told himself as he walked.
Nodd breathed in air again, confident but still wary of being found. The SI:7 Demolitions expert had just finished attaching and concealing his final explosive when he had taken a step back accidentally snapping a dried twig behind him.
While a intimidating Undead Soldier came out from behind the barricade while two archers readied their bows fingers ready to pull and release their arrows, Nodd placed himself back disappearing into the shadows.
The undead had walked around making obvious lies until a small fawn had run away in turn getting shot by the Orc who had also been on the wall, the Orc who Nodd had feared was the closest to noticing him. Once the Orc had retrieved his kill, the undead returned into the barricade leaving Nodd alone.
Thus far this was the second closest Nodd had come to being discovered by the Horde's soldiers. While the furthest into their encampment he had gone is to the walls of the Monestary itself his special suprises should now be ready to give the coming forces of Lordaeron enough of a initial advantage they might JUST be able to win the battle. And if Nimm was doing her portion of the job properly, not only would the Lordaeron forces attack precisely at the best time to maximize the damage and impact caused by the explosives, but also so her assembled team can strike at the Portal once they are given the opportunity by the Worgan.
Nodd Stealthily pulled away from the wall, keeping low to the ground and on the edges of the shadows. The mission now was to stay away from the battlezone and rejoin his sister. It wouldn't be of use to waste weeks of preparation, hiring the Scarlet Sky had taken most of their funds, eighteen of the members had agreed to the mission, and then the SI:7 team that the Gnome pair had selected had been difficult enough to acquire. They had needed specialists who could kill a room full of mages and potentially destabilize a magical portal, and they needed them to be people whose absences would be unlikely to ever be noticed.
In the end Nodd was slowly making his way back to a SI:7 strike force of nearly thirty individuals. the majority were the Scarlet Sky guild members, they had four 'healers' a human and Worgan priest pair, a Night Elf Druid, and a human Paladin. Then the guild had sent four rogues, three mages, three hunters, a warlock, two warriors and a Paladin specializing in melee combat. After himself and his sister, there were five other operatives meant to clear the room, and five others, lesser mages, warlocks and a priest who all had the appropriate skills to potentially collapse the portal.
After a few arduous hours Nodd finally returned. Nimm and the others were far from alone now as Nodd could see the attack force had arrived and now Nimm was talking with the various leaders of the force. While Nimm and Nodd clearly knew their mission was that of a SI:7 operation and most of their strike team knew well enough to guess their actual employers, they still had a front of deniability to maintain.
"No no no, we don't work for free 'mayor', you pay us, and we use our bombs for your benefit. That's how Mercenaries work. Since we're here and out of the goodness of our hearts I'll offer some poor victims of the Undead a discount on our services but there's no way even in Sargeras' ass crack that we're working for free." Nimm's mercenary persona haggled, Nodd knew she was likely overcharging for the supposed help they were offering the attackers, but their operation was certainly an expensive one.
With a sigh, Nodd prepared himself for his role and marched up to the haggling group. "Sup Trogg-face, finished scouting where to put the bombs. Dumb corpses left some gaps that any worthwhile Gnome would know how to exploit and with a good mortar shell or two blow open the enemy's defense, no problem. And no offense to these lanky idiots i'm certain their brains work just like their undead counterparts and would never find those openings."
The leader seemed to puff up slightly before glaring down on Nodd before turning back to Nimm. "This part of your sales pitch, insulting your client?"
This earned a growl from Nimm towards Nodd. "No, but listen we have the mortars and everything to drop the shells where you need them. we have the skills to make sure there's no mistakes, and clearly I have crews so good they're willing to risk the deal just to mouth off." Nimm tried to claim while casting a visible glare toward Nodd.
"I've seen plenty of incompetent amateurs with the same attitude." A woman to the leader's side said.
"Hey, I probably know far more about structural integrity, exosive force, and what forces are needed to collapse a structure than you know of anything else. I could create a gap large enough for at least a single soldier if you forced me to just use a single shell without the mortar to fire it." Nodd angrily protested, keeping to his fabricated persona.
Finally the human commander relented. "Ok but befofe you get paid, we see results. I'll have one of our advisors hang back, but if she so much as thinks your group was full of it and didn't help she can take that money to whoever she feels like. Got it?"
Nimm excitedly walked up and shook the man's hand. "Understood, my team and I will set out immediately, by daybreak we'll be in position and lobbing shells."
"I hope you actually deliver." And with that the Gnome pair turned and quickly walked away.
"What the hell do you think you were doing?"
"Sticking to character, besides it worked, the mortars are already set up and on timers, and the shells should look convincing enough no one will question the explosions."
Nimm just sighed in response. "Whatever get the adventurers and team ready, we have one shot at this."
Gin returned to his post on the wall, a full belly and a few extra rounds, as well as a new pelt more than when he had left it. The deer he had shot wasn't the largest but it certainly was still some good meat, and plenty of good trade.
"Ahh, momma, you really should leave outland and come see me now. I, urrrrggghp, am the pride of the Horde!" The Orc boasted as he sat on the wall, only Undead and a few Trolls even within earshot, save for a single unpleasant Elf.
"It's too early in the morning for me to be putting up with your antics Gin. Could you please save the disgusting behavior for...I don't know, how about tomorrow, just twenty-four hours of some decency. No belch contest, waving intestines in my face, or talk about sex. Is that too much to ask?" Zannae's condescending voice broke out behind Gin, as the Orc just sat laughing.
"Maybe if you're the one out here on the wall first for once I'll give you yer precious quiet time. Me, I'm enjoying my nice set of buns I've been diving into each night now. You know that portal is big enough they could probably fit a pair of horny Orcs on through. Been thinking, while it's not something huge, I wanna be the first guy to have sex on that new world." Gin obscenely jestured while talking, his smile widening while the Elf's look of disgust formed.
"You would ruin a perfectly decent morn-" The Blood Elf was cut off as his shoulder snapped to the side violently and the characteristic crack of a gun shot followed less than a second later. Immediately the Elf pulled a potion to drink and heal himself while Gin pulled his own gun out and aimed down its sights. What Gin saw was certainly a suprise but far from shocking.
A large force of humans had somehow already closed a good portion of the distance to the barricade and were charging while a few human bowmen and gunmen fired their weapons to try and cover their allies advance. Somehow the Humans had launched an attack without the defending Horde reciving a forewarning, not impossible but still somewhat impressive, they'd still lose either way though.
Sighting his gun at a rather young looking human soldier, Gin fired his round impacting and nearly knocking the shield out of the human's hand, a arrow from one of the other wall defenders ending the foolish human's life. As Gin began to sight one of the human marksmen in the rear Zannae began calling upon the light to sheild the pair of defenders from incoming fire.
"Too easy." Gin smirked as he fired, his shot impacting the aide of the neck of one of the Human marksmen removing them from the battle if not killing them outright. It was then Gin heard the whistle, looking up the Orc was given a split second sight of a falling shell, and with swift reflexes he threw himself into Zannae right before the shell impacted the wall.
The explosion was massive, far larger than Gin had expected, and if not for Zannae's shield certainly the two would have died as they were thrown back by several yards, already around them the remains of the less fortunate undead soldiers lay scattered around.
With a loud ringing in his ears, and slight disorientation Gin pulled himself up as Zannae lay struggling with the disorientation so much the elf could barely move. Through the Fog in his head and the smoke on the field Gin could barely see the remains of the wall, now little more than rubble and disheveled rock. Turning behind himself Gin could see that most of the outer encampment had been destroyed, as well as the second wall, leaving only the walls immediately around the Monestary mostly standing, though even from where he was and in his state Gin could see the minor damage the Monestary walls had received, enough to threaten the integrity of the defense.
It took several seconds more before Gin could hear it, the sound of the charging humans, the first through the breach seemingly unaffected by the explosion, that human only had a few seconds to scan the destruction now that he had cleared the smoke before one of the Undead's arrows went through his helmet dropping the human almost immediately.
Firing his gun into the breach one handed, and with little hope of hitting a foe, Gin pulled Zannae to his feet and began pulling the still stunned elf back towards the defending line. Speed was now of the essence as Gin and Zannae were the last surviving Hoard between the emerging human attackers and the second wall where a line of warriors was preparing to stall the attacking humans.
The pair of Horde soldiers closed about half the distance before Zannae fully shook the disorientation of the explosion. With a slight shove the Elf seperated from Gin and the pair began to run on their own, Zannae preparing blessings from the light, and Gin his gun as they ran. As they ran the smoke burst open six human Knights with twelve Worgan following behind came, clearly intent on charging the still assembling defensive line.
Gin cast a quick glance over his shoulder two of the Knights and some of the Wargen were now clearly turned to attack the two lone Horde Soldiers. Acting quick Gin snapped off a single shot which took the lead Knight's horse in its knee causing the creature to stumble throwing the knight. The Second lowered his lance closing with Zannae, however the Paladin's shield deflected the lance and with a Blade of Justice knocned the Human from his horse. Even with the pair temporarily free io the Humans, the Worgen immediately closed in and joined the fight. Acting quickly Zannae shoved Gin aside , using his sword and his shield to stop a pair of daggers from tearing into the Orcish hunter, only to quickly force the attacker back to barely block a heavy blow from a battle axe borne by another Worgen.
"What do you think you're doing? Get some distance you idiot!" The Blood Elf Paladin ordered as he strained to fight back the pair of Worgen. Quickly Gin nodded and began to backpeddle as quickly as he could while preparing his gun to fire again. As Zannae battled, a third Worgen joined the fight rushing past the Paladin towards Gin, hastily Gin pulled up his gun and fired.
With a quick shift the Worgen ducked and the round missed, the Worgen then brought up a large sword with the intent to split Gin in half. Acting quick Gin brought out his own hand-axe and swung with all his strength into the oncoming blade, forcing the deadly blow aside. "F-fuck!" The Orcish hunter cursed as the heavy blade submerged deep into the ground next to him. The Worgen quickly pulled the blade back, ready for another round.
Gin's fight for survival was frantic, the Worgen he was facing was clearly a veteran, and he hear the chaos of the defensive line behind him. Also the Hunter's keen eye could just spot perhaps a hundred human soldiers emerge from the smoke rushing towards their battle. Thinking quickly the Hunter realized that if he wished to survive Zannae needed to be freed up before the charging wave of humans reached them. As the Worgen's blade once again sank into the dirt due to Gin making a awkward dodge of the blade, one which caused the Orc to stumble over the weapon, reached behind himself and grabbed his escape trump card, a Goblin Landmine, activated it, and threw it at Zannae. "Shield yourself!" The Orc desperately cried, even as he fell over the Worgen's Sword. Fortune seemed to follow Gin, as his companion immediately complied shielding himself and by coincidence bringing his shield around in such a way that the mine latched to it just before he brought the shield between himself and his two attackers. The blast knocking away the two Worgen, certainly killing one as his arm came off in the blast. Meanwhile Zannae was thrown back into Gin's attacker, throwing the Worgen off his feet. Frantically Gin rolled over chopping his ax down from his laying position into the back of the Worgen's neck. This was followed by a stab to the face by Zannae bringing a final howl of pain from their foe as a final death scream.
"Move!" Gin growled out as he forced himself to his feet and taking off at a sprint. With a glance over his shoulder, he could see Zannae at his side, and just behind them one of the two dismounted human knights ran after the pair with hate in his eyes. Gin cast his hopeful gaze towards the defensive line, only for his hope to diminish. Already Worgen and the remaining ten Knights were causing the unprepared line to faulter. Even as Zannae and Gin arrived the pair could hear the Horde commander shouting. "Damn it, Fall BACK! BACK to the Monestary!"
It would be good fortune that a particularly brave Undead Soldier stopped the Haman Knight chasing Gin and Zannae by crossing blades with the vengeful human. With a prayer of thanks to the spirits, Gin continued running to the Monestary, a cursing and bruised Zannae at his side. It would be a blessing that the majority of the surviving Horde managed to get into and seal off the gate of the Monestary before the humans arrived.
Inside the gate Lilian Voss was already dressed for battle and shouting orders, Gin and Zannae were to take to one of the Monestary walls to hold back the invaders and report to a Undead named Launchalot. Even as the duo races towards the stairs to take to the ramparts, they could see Undead firing arrows and using spears to fend off humans who were attempting to force their way through or break open small gaps in the Monestary walls and Gin could even hear the sounds of small explosions across the Monestary.
"Damn these fools are pushing hard!" Gin commented as they passed a wider breach in the wall where humans with hammers were attempting to break open the breach wider as occasional spear thrusts and arrows from either side lashed back and forth as the Horde struggled to reseal the breach. Just behind those humans others worked with ladders and large claw devices either to start scaling the wall or to help in trying to tear it down.
"Shut up and hurry, we don't have time." Zannae growled at his companion as the pair began to rush up the stairs onto the narrow rampart. Seeing the pair the undead commander who must have been Launchalot quickly jestured to a small unoccupied portion of the wall before turning back to oversee the battle, already noting points where the enemy had already scaled the wall and were attempting to push towards stairs or dropping due to gunfire or arrow fire from the defenders.
"C'mon you brute." Zannae said as he pushed Gin towards the section of wall they were supposed to defend. Even as the pair arrived a ladder planted itself into the wall, a Worgen at the bottem making her way far too quickly up for the defending duo's comfort.
Acting quickly Gin fired a round into the Worgen's back, slowing it enough for Zannae to call upon the light, empowering his blade with all the power he could muster. With a feirce downward thrust Zannae's blade tip just barely stabbed into the shoulder of the Worgen, but with the power of the Light it was enough to throw the beast from the ladder breaking his grip on the handles and slamming her into the human who had tried to follow after.
"The ladder!" Gin shouted, however the ladder seemed firmly planted into the wall, and it was situated low enough that the defending pair couldn't reach out to get a strong grip of it without exposing themselves to fire from a group of human mages and archers.
"This isn't working, Gin cover me." The Blood Knight ordered. Immediately Gin prepared his gun, as Zannae stood to his full height looking down to the bottom of the ladder. One of the Mages immediately spotted the Blood Elf and started to prepare a spell only for a round from Gin's gun to clip their shoulder stopping the spell. This bought Zannae enough time as a hammer of light struck down from the sky striking the bottom of the ladder shaking the entire construct, and breaking the bottom two rungs. Most importantly though the ladder was dislodged, and narrowly avoiding being struck by a trio of arrows as Gin lightly wounded a fourth human archer, Zannae used his sword to push the ladder away from the wall.
"Hahaha! I said I'd earn glory. Just never thought it would be like this!" Gin laughed as he slumped under the parapet of the monestary wall. Finally able to rest since the battle began almost a half hour ago, most of that time spent running.
"Aaaaghck." next to him Zannae cried in pain holding his shield arm after finally letting go of his shield.
Immediately the Orc hunter set to tending to his companion. The blood Elf's entire arm was black and swollen. "Damned by the Spirits, you were even able to keep up with me with your arm like this? What the hell are you made of?"
"Light damn it, Light Damn it, DAMN IT!"
Gin lightly slapped the Blood Elf. "Stay with me, come on tell me about your girlfriend, you know all about mine." This earned Gin a glare from the Elf.
"Wife?" Another glare.
"Boyfriend, or Husband?" Yet another glare.
As Gin quickly fed Zannae a potion and continued bandaging the arm he continued. "Oh come on, look at you, how do you NOT have someone all over that?"
"M-most of us aren't defined entirely by sex and some, oh light damn IT, some of us have more important matters to think about." Zannae countered, the combination of potion and bandaging finally starting to take effect, though they would need a dedicated healer to ensure the Elf was in peak condition.
"Yeah, some of the dead maybe." Gin joked back.
"Go to hell." Zannae sighed, finally feeling some relief in his arm.
The next four hours of the Human's Siege were far calmer for the pair of Horde Soldiers. Each time the pair attempted to relocate to assist elsewhere in the defense the Humans would make a push attempting to bring up another ladder, or even trying to fly past in a opportunistic Griffin Rider's case. A roaming team of healers and support did eventually pass by, and a quick healing spell later and Zannae's arm was nearly recovered, though the Elf claimed it was still stiff.
The battle itself had finally stalled, as far as Gin could tell, the Humans attempt to breach the monestary had been pushed back, but now they had brought up ballista and were peppering the wall with bolts and it looked as though the humans were preparing a battering ram. The Horde defenders only needed to last until reinforcements arrived, though certainly Gin and every other one of the Horde's warriors here had been suprised, this wasn't an alliance force, nearly every banner, emblem and mark these humans and Worgen wore were symbols of the old Lordaeron.
While the Human's seige stalled, the defenders had taken to reinforcing the defenses and eventually Gin and Zannae were relieved from their watch on the wall. Thus freed the pair were advised to go rest until they were needed again.
"I never thought that there were so many living humans capable of fighting a battle like this in the entirety of Lordaeron." Gin complained, working on the fire that was currently heating the pot that was boiling the pair's soup.
"It doesn't take that many hardened individuals to make a army. I'm more concerned about their skill and coordination, even a force twice this size if they were just Lordaeron Militia shouldn't have gotten past the second barricade until at least another hour from now. Well placed artillery capable of removing the barricade and timed to nearly match the Human's charge. That speaks of more than a little Alliance support." Zannae lectured while stirring the pot, to which Gin only grunted back while leaning back onto his pack.
"Look, the whole political thing, isn't all that important, do we live, do we win, or do we die? so they're a bit more talented, what does that mean, better soldiers, or better commanders? Rest is just bullshit best left to guys like Thrall." Gin countered while resting.
Zannae rose up to rebuke the Orc only for the presence of a Undead to cut him short. This undead was a clear commander of the Forsaken. "I need two soldiers, you two are it." The Undead's harsh voice told the pair.
"And you are?" Gin asked casually sitting up and pulling the laddle from to pot to quickly eat some of the soup.
"Launchalot Bloodfeeder!" The Undead growled while puffing himself up.
"Who?" The Blood Elf of the pair asked while slowly standing.
"Must be some unimportant schmuck that Lilian sent as a errand boy." Gin retorted while still eating soup.
"I'm second in command of this entire garrison!"
"We had an actual second in command assigned?"
"See unimportant errand boy, Lilian is probably just keeping him busy." Another scoop of soup met Gin's lips.
"You will obey my orders, or by the Queen I will drown you both in Blight!" Launchalot fumed now stomping his foot while Zannae looked on contemplatively and sympatheticly, and Gin just smirked continuing to eat.
"I have reason to believe some of the enemy managed to slip through our defenses during the initial assault, some of the runners I sent just recently to check on Astalor and his Magisters haven't reported back, and we recently found a unsealed Breach in the Monestary walls that could have been used to slip a small strike team past our defenses. By the Authority of the Warchief I ORDER you to aid me." The Undead Knight demanded, which caused Gin to laugh.
"No need to get bossy, like the Warchief being a Forsaken gives you the right to order me around anyway." Gin grumbled as he put the laddle away and stood up, after him Zannae stood as well.
"What do you want us to do?" Zannae asked, cautiously preparing his shield and sword.
"You both are going to join me, we're going to go check on the Magisters, help them evacuate in whatever way we can and find if any enemies had actually penetrated our defenses and are inside the Monestary." 'Sir' Bloodfeeder answered, his arms resolutely crossed.
"Alright, lets get on it." Gin answered smiling and pulling his gun out. With this the trio now rushed towards the doors to the monestary.
Astalor ducked behind a overturned table, shrapnel from yet another explosion digging into the wood. Most of the Magisters security was now already dead, and many of Astalor's staff also lay dead as a mixed batch of Alliance member races attacked. A few of the group's magic casters were stepping into positions and preparing runes or casting spells directed at the portal, while the obvious adventurers of the group fought off the surviving guards and combat capable Magisters.
While willing to help with that threat Astalor had rightly identified a far more immediate threat to every Magister in the room, than some magic users using experimental spells against the portal. Two Gnomes were moving about the outskirts of the fighting, either using small bombs to assist the attacking advertisers, or more perturbingly planting rather large, for a gnome, specialized explosives at specific points of the chamber.
If the nearly thirty attackers in the chamber succeeded Astalor knew entirely what their intent was. While closing the portal would be a nice boon, that was certainly not their main goal, after all this naturally occurring portal would likely either shift locations and open anywhere else in Azeroth or it would just open again later. However burying it under rubble and killing everyone working on it would set the Horde's work back irrevocably, perhaps even enough that the Alliance's portal, wherever it was, could be used to rush this portal securing it from the other side.
Astalor prepared some of his own magic to combat the intruders, but before he could emerge from his cover to unleash a barrage of magical bolts at the enemy, the doors to the chamber burst open three new defenders joining the fight, the First leveled his gun firing at one of the magic casters working on disrupting the Portal, the shot taking them in the head and removing the appendage from their shoulders.
The other two newcomers immediately rushed forward to join the battle, though several of the enemy's adventurers broke off from their positions to meet the pair. Even with the skill of the three newcomers the battle was still clearly in the favor of the attackers. Still Astalor now saw his opportunity, and channeling all the arcane might he could the Magister cast a wave of arcane bolts at the pair of bomb wielding gnomes.
The male gnome took the brunt of Astalor's attack knocking him from his feat where the female quickly grabbed him shouting for a retreat. Meanwhile the three nee defenders rushed to the center of the chamber next to the portal, it looked as though they were about to be overwhelmed, but when the Gnome woman shouted for them to retreat the enemy quickly disengaged and began to flee after her.
Astalor sighed in relief and was about to order a pursuit when he saw it. The lights on the Bombs planted by the Gnomes switched colors. "Everyone OUT!" However the warning was ineffective. The first bomb's detonation quickly sent the panicked survivors running, but the chamber with just that bomb was already collapsing as the center portion of the ceiling fell down onto the portal and their three saviors. Astalor himself pulled onto his feet and fled with all the speed he could muster even as the few remaining bombs the Gnomes had planted detonated.
Astalor ran as hard as he could until he found himself in the courtyard for the Monestary, the attackers nowhere to be seen. Outside proved to be the scene of the typical hectic activity one would expect from a ongoing battle as Human invaders tried and failed to penetrate the walls of the Monestary, though it appeared they had gotten close to succeeding at many points. Around himself the last surviving third of the research staff stood either sighing in relief or frozen by shock. Looking back, even from outside Astalor could see the collapse of the Portal chamber, fortunately it was only a partial collapse. it would take time but they should be able to quickly get everything back to full function. assuming of course these invaders failed to drive the Horde from the Scarlet Monestary, something that was growing obvious that they would fail to do.
Still Astalor had to curse the foe still, his team had planned to send full sized research teams through the portal including Orc Shamans, equipment laden magisters and a smaller Tauren. Now who knew how long until the Horde could establish a base camp on the other side.
Gin groaned before rolling off his pair of companions. The idiot Undead who had insisted on 'leading them to glory' had rushed right into the center of the enemy, which if he and Zannae had been warlocks or Shamans might have been a good strategy. Instead the three of them wound up surrounded and very outclassed, at least until the enemy suddenly had retreated.
of course Launchalot was shouting that they pursue the fleeing foe right as a explosion took one of the walls and Gin's keen ears picked up the sound of falling stone just in time to see the ceiling collapsing on the trio. Quickly thinking he threw himself on his companions forcing all three through the portal at their side.
Now all three of them stood atop a rather barren hill, only half dead grass, sharp rocks, small boulders and cold wind was about them. In the distance, in what he assumed to be the west Gin could see the peaks of a distant mountain range, slightly to the north Gin could see some of those mountains branching off and come closer to where he and his companions were.
Throughout the region constant howling, and distant growls and snarles of wolves could be heard. The far off cry of a dying animal told Gin that the region certainly had life, though clearly of a far more brutal nature than either of his companions were raised around. Finally Launchalot and Zannae pulled themselves to their feet.
"Where the hell is this?" The Undead 'leader' hissed under his breath. Beside him Zannae looked on cautiously.
"Even the Outlands seem more inviting than this place. What about the portal?" The trio looked back to the Portal, it certainly looked smaller than when the had first gone into the chamber, and now a boulder half stuck out of it. Walking around the portal a few glimpses showed small smouldering wood boards and that the portal was entirely burried.
A low snarl grabbed the trios attention away from the portal. Not too distant and ascending to the crest of the hill to join them was a pack of nearly thirty wolf mounted creatures that looked almost exactly like Goblins but with a few noticeable differences.
"Oye, Bozz, lookie 'ere, we'z got a us a lot o shinie bits ere. Even a pointy ear with dat dere Ork an zombo."
"Shuddit Crotchrot, Iz see em. Yaz lot, betta pray to yer dum Gods, Cuz youz been given by Gork ta me, Chief Faangschtick!" Even as the strange Goblin creatures spoke their wolves circled the trio and Gin cursed this rotten day as he prepared for yet another fight, everything illuminated by the pale green light of a evil moon.