Compared with that of Ardenweald, the atmosphere of Maldraxxus was akin to a rotten wildseed. Instead of majestic trees whose fruits dangled invitingly from the branches, there were giant mushrooms whose foul spores permeated the area; instead of refreshing air, only an odd stench was present. These nuances, however, did not hinder the worgen commander from going through reports and writing new ones that would help with the housing of the Azerothians who wished to linger in Maldraxxus.
After the expedition to the alternate and intact Draenor had ended when the siege on Hellfire Citadel was deemed a success, Lieutenant Thorn and the others in Lunarfall packed up and left to return to Azeroth. Given her experience in managing the garrison, Thorn officially moved into logistics and was promoted to commander and since had been stationed in Stormwind. She was involved in allocating supplies for the Alliance during the invasion of the Burning Legion and the Fourth War, and now for both factions in their venture to the Shadowlands.
She had come to Oribos when a portal was established. In the Eternal City, she met Zog, an orc who was a former ambassador of the Horde and had also managed the Horde garrison back on Draenor. With a common goal of establishing accommodation for the Alliance and the Horde separate from the original structures on each of the four major realms of the Shadowlands, she and the orc agreed to cooperate. They began in Bastion first, erecting nearby Hero's Rest a camp with rows of tents, repair and other services, and a supply line which ran from Oribos to there. The camp was set up in less time than what they had expected thanks to the helpful owl-like stewards.
Next, they had moved on to Revendreth which saw an influx of adventurers due to an ongoing rebellion against Sire Denathrius led by Prince Renathal. With preexisting buildings which became occupiable upon dispatching the hostile inhabitants, small camps were set up inside the castles and houses around Sinfall along with a supply line running from Oribos to each one. As for Ardenweald, tents—or just sleeping mattresses thanks to the foliage naturally providing a shade—were placed around the Heart of the Forest. A supply line, especially for lumber, was set up seeing that the Night Fae covenant would not be too fond of the native trees being felled.
This had left Maldraxxus as the only major realm that had not been readied to accommodate the non-Shadowlands denizens. Unlike other realms, Maldraxxus was not living friendly in the slightest. Green, toxic, and slimy rivers; desecrated grounds; giant, foul mushrooms and their spores—the landscape was simply unwelcoming. They would need more resources for a more adequate shelter as normal tents would not suffice in the long run, and it could take some time before the supplies arrived.
Fortunately, she had received a report which spoke of a Maldraxxi architect at the Seat of the Primus who may be able to help with the construction while using resources found within Maldraxxus itself. When approached by the messenger, he was said to comply with the notion, explaining how the Azerothians had been resolving conflicts within the realm and thus wanting to return the favor. Presented with this opportunity, she wrote a letter to him to which he replied, through the messenger, that he would meet her in person at her tent which was situated on the outskirts of the building.
Now she only had to wait.
Thorn placed down the quill and scanned over the report she had just finished writing. This one would be going to Zog who had remained in Oribos to oversee the established accommodations in the other three major realms. As she murmured an approval to herself, she heard footsteps nearing her tent. Looking up from the pile of papers, she saw a Maldraxxi skeleton standing before her.
"You must be Commander Thorn."
The worgen rose from her chair to properly address the Maldraxxi. "Yes, and I suppose you're the architect that wishes to assist us?"
The skeleton nodded. "You may call me Robas, and now we can properly discuss your plans."
For the next hour, they managed to work out where and how the housing would be constructed. Robas wrote down a workflow for him and his team of skeleton builders as well as sketched the finished structure—a sizable bunker whose interior would be compact and efficient similar to that of a dwarven home. As he worked on his drawing, she used this moment to inspect the Maldraxxi. Like most of the lower rank skeletons, he was clad in few articles of leather and a single pauldron covering one shoulder. He would be mostly indistinguishable from other Maldraxxi skeletons if it was not for the parchment-containing pouch around his pelvis and a badge with a foreign symbol on his pauldron's harness. Aside from his appearance, she had also been paying attention to the conversation between the two of them. She felt that his echoing voice and the way he spoke had a familiar ring, but she could not place them.
How would she be able to recall anything about a Maldraxxi skeleton she had just met for the first time anyway?
"This should be the final look of the building. What do you think?"
Robas' voice snapped her out of her musings. Reining in her thoughts, Thorn watched the Maldraxxi turn the parchment on which he had been sketching toward her.
"It looks spectacular," Thorn noted, her eye darting over the neatly drawn and hatched Maldraxxi-inspired bunker. "I really like it." She turned the parchment back to the architect who scrolled it up and put it into his pouch.
"It's settled then. My crew and I will begin the construction tomorrow," Robas said before standing up and nodding a farewell to her.
Thorn inclined her head in return, then watched the Maldraxxi head back to the Seat of the Primus until he was out of her sight. Now that she was alone, she could not stop thinking back to the sketch she had recently seen.
She swore she had seen this drawing style before.
"Lieutenant, meet Baros Alexston, Stormwind's finest architect."
Thorn looked up from her paperwork to see Deedree and, following into the Town Hall after the dwarf, a familiar looking man.
Today was the third day of her station in Lunarfall outpost after she had been tasked with managing the place. As the outpost was still under construction on her first day, she was free to explore Shadowmoon Valley on that day, learning more about the area and losing her right eye in the process. When the outpost became functional on the second day, she was then gradually and properly introduced to the people in the outpost, and today was no different.
Except for the presence of this fine, handsome man whom she had met once when they took the portal along with others in Stormwind to come here.
Baros, if she had heard his name correctly, walked up to her desk and extended his hand to her. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."
Her gaze went down to his hand and then back up to his face which was adorned by a smile. A charming one, she decided. Curving her lips up slightly, she raised her hand to grip his in a firm handshake.
"Pleased to meet you too, Baros."
