Ashes

Teldrassil welcomed Ashes with the soft glow of moonlight and the polite sigh of ancient trees that had stood long enough to have opinions about everything. The night hummed gently, as though the forest itself were whispering, do try not to break anything.

Awakening amid the tranquil shadows, they found themselves watched by owls, spirits, and at least one sentinel pretending very hard not to stare. Nature waited, dignified and mildly suspicious.

Thus began a kaldorei journey: graceful, solemn, and accompanied by the constant feeling that the trees were quietly judging their posture.

In the company of Merrin, Shade, Luna and Dawn, Ashes felt a subtle shift — a strengthening, a sharpening, or perhaps simply the realization that surviving things together tends to make one more capable out of sheer necessity.

Shade may have noticed it first, offering a nod, a noise, or a mildly concerned look. Regardless, the improvement was undeniable: the world now faced a slightly more resilient band of troublemakers than it had moments before.

The journey continued, now with marginally fewer opportunities for comedy at their expense.

The corruption festering in Shadowglen was not the sort of thing that politely fixed itself. Fortunately, Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Luna and Dawn were exactly the kind of people who walked toward ominous noises instead of away from them, an admirable trait unless you ask the healers.

Together they ventured into the heart of the disturbance. The corrupted foe greeted them with an impressive roar, quickly followed by an even more impressive look of surprise at how many visitors it suddenly had. With Shade providing a timely distraction and the rest contributing various degrees of competence, the group overcame the threat in dramatic fashion.

The forest sighed in relief. The druids tried to look authoritative. Ashes discovered that some challenges are best faced with friends who are just as baffled by the situation.

The forest had a long memory and very little patience for poor life choices, particularly those involving satyrs. Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Luna and Dawn returned under that wary canopy, not as wayward accomplices, but as volunteers for the difficult art of making things right.

Together they hunted down Foulhoof, whose confidence evaporated the moment he realized his audience now included multiple very motivated individuals. Luna delivered the sort of corrective demonstration that even a satyr could understand, while the others gathered the fel taint he had scattered about with reckless enthusiasm.

When the deed was done and the offerings brought back, the forest stilled. Branches swayed with something that might have been approval, or at least a decision to stop glowering quite so hard. Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Luna and Dawn left with the uneasy but welcome feeling that Teldrassil had agreed to give them another chance.

The Jasperlode Mine had an air of foreboding about it, the sort that suggested it was quietly composing a formal complaint about visitors. Unfortunately for the mine, Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna were already on their way.

Descending into its depths, the party discovered unsettling noises and at least one shadow that appeared to move entirely on its own schedule. Even so, curiosity and the collective stubbornness of Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna pushed them forward. By the time they reemerged, looking as if they had personally offended a dust storm, the mine had been thoroughly inspected and the mystery resolved.

Local officials were pleased. The mine was not. And Ashes learned that dangerous holes in the ground are slightly less terrifying when shared with companions who are equally confused.

Transporting Elmore's package became considerably less straightforward when Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna became involved. The route was scenic, the conversations lively, and Shade asked more than once whether anyone else heard the crate humming.

Despite detours and distractions, they delivered the cargo intact. The recipient accepted it with sincere gratitude and only a little suspicion.

The package remained silent. This was a good sign.

Solving the Defias Brotherhood crisis was work for a group with patience, teamwork, and a high tolerance for nonsense. Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna fit that description perfectly.

Together they peeled back the layers of intrigue, enduring disguises, secret meetings, and at least one incident where Merrin fell from something that had no business being climbed. In the end, the leaders of the Brotherhood were confronted and defeated.

Westfall breathed easier. The Brotherhood had new names to complain about in their campfire tales.

Redridge gnolls expected trouble, but not a coordinated party of very determined individuals. Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna marched into the hills like a moving problem the gnolls had not planned for.

With Dawn leading the charge and the rest contributing strategy, support, and occasional shouting, the pack was broken and the howling faded.

The people of Lakeshire were grateful. The gnolls reconsidered their organizational structure.

Legends in Duskwood are rarely kind, and Stalvan's was no exception. Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna pursued the truth through creaking halls, forgotten documents, and clues that all suggested this had been a very bad idea.

At the end, they faced Stalvan together. He was both monstrous and pitiful, and the group ended his story with determination and a measure of sympathy.

The forest exhaled a breath it had held for years. The darkness remained, but no longer whispered his name.

The Embalmer's bride was a tragedy that really ought to have ended long ago. Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna took it upon themselves to finish what grief and obsession had begun.

She emerged from the shadows in a swirl of sorrow and misdirected devotion. With Merrin holding firm and the others lending blade and spell, the group granted her the mercy she had been denied.

The forest settled, just a little. Somewhere, the Embalmer's poor choices echoed on into memory.

Collecting turtle ingredients with Merrin, Luna, Shade and Dawn turned the process into a damp and slippery group activity. The turtles resisted, the marsh complained, and Merrin caught a flipper in an unfortunate place.

After much splashing and several apologies to the wildlife, the party returned with everything needed. The bisque was a success. Hillsbrad was delighted.

The turtles, naturally, were not asked for comment.

Hunting the mightiest beast in the jungle is many things, but it is rarely quiet. Ashes and Merrin, Luna, Dawn and Shade headed out under Hemet Nesingwary's delighted gaze, while the jungle braced itself.

The beast put up a tremendous fight, but between Luna's bold strikes and the rest of the group's support, it finally fell. The camp celebrated the victory with enthusiasm and probably too much noise.

The story spread quickly. In Stranglethorn, legends travel fast.

Sending supplies to Nethergarde with Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna turned a simple delivery into a minor expedition. The swamp did its best to interfere, but despite awkward footing and at least one near disaster involving Merrin and a crate, the mission held together.

When the supplies arrived, the garrison reacted with the joy of people who did not expect things to go right.

It was a victory for planning over chaos, if a muddy one.

Unlocking the Stone of Binding with Merrin, Shade, Luna and Dawn turned one relic into an audience. The land itself seemed to be watching as they placed the keys.

Magic surged, a guardian spirit appeared, and Luna very nearly became an example. With effort and coordination, the group prevailed and the stone settled.

The Arathi Highlands felt a fraction more at peace, at least for the moment.

Hunting the mightiest beast in the jungle is many things, but it is rarely quiet. Ashes and Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna headed out under Hemet Nesingwary's delighted gaze, while the jungle braced itself.

The beast put up a tremendous fight, but between Dawn's bold strikes and the rest of the group's support, it finally fell. The camp celebrated the victory with enthusiasm and probably too much noise.

The story spread quickly. In Stranglethorn, legends travel fast.

Gathering flawless hides with Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna was part hunt, part comedy. The beasts of Feralas were fast, strong, and not at all interested in fashion.

Still, with Shade setting the pace and the others lending support, the team completed the task. The leatherworker greeted the pile of hides as if presented with treasure.

Feralas, for its part, was simply glad to see them leave.

Venturing into the Sunken Temple with Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna was like walking into the inside of a very opinionated lizard. At its heart stood Jammal'an, convinced that the world needed more of his prophecies.

Dawn interrupted with weapons rather than applause, and the battle that followed was loud, chaotic, and strangely satisfying. When it ended, the halls grew still.

The group left behind a quieter temple and one fewer would be prophet.

The plan was straightforward: Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna would acquire an ogre head and the dwarves would supply the drinks. The execution was anything but simple.

The ogre in question resisted with great enthusiasm, but between Dawn's strikes and the party's persistence, the outcome was never really in doubt. Soon the head was up on its stick and the celebration was in full swing.

The dwarves cheered. The mountains echoed. The ogres took note.

Tackling corruption with Merrin, Shade, Dawn and Luna turned the Burning Steppes into a battlefield of fire and shouting. The corrupted forces surged, but so did the party.

Merrin pushed forward through the smoke while the others struck from every side. Bit by bit, the corrupting power broke and fled.

The Steppes remained harsh and unforgiving. Still, for the first time in a long while, they were no longer getting worse by the hour.