Post by Chadness on May 31, 2006 13:48:55 GMT -5
There's been some question lately, especially here, about how deep and involved WoW's stories are compared to FFXI's stories. So, in my spare time the last week or so, I've been writing some "fan fiction", if you will, based on my hunter. Now, what I'm doing in this story is taking quest text directly from the game and basically writing a story around it. In the story below, I'll highlight the text that is directly quoted from the game quest text. This story is based around the quest line you must complete in order to fight Onyxia - a huge dragon that is inside an instance. Its a single encounter raid instance that takes about 30 minutes to complete once you get your raid together. Onyxia drops three epic items and a couple blue items each time she's killed.
So, tell me what you think of this story (remember as you read, this is actually IN the game and I am just putting it into short story form based on my character).
A Shred of Hope - Part 1
Stormwind has always been full of conflict. Even after the Burning Legion was pushed back, even after the Scourge refugee crisis was settled, there are still dark sides to the bright and cheery façade that is the face of this great city. Conflict was nothing new to Kellia and her home far away in the Night Elf kingdom of Darnassus, however the humans intrigued her. They live what appears on the surface to be peaceful lives in the beautiful area of Elwynn and its surrounding regions, however underneath it all struggle was common. From the Defias Brotherhood, to the evil happenings in Duskwood, to the advancement of the orcs from Blackrock Mountain in Redridge, Stormwind was being pushed from all sides and, in fact, from what she had discovered on her journeys in the region, was very close to total collapse.
As a proud member of the Alliance, Kellia had been doing all she could to help the Human kingdom, as she had spent most of her adult life over here with her trusted companions - whether they be her pets or her other, more humanoid, friends. She was a hunter and as such, always had a constant companion in her trusted Kaelyn. Today her and Kaelyn were traveling to the Burning Steppes. Now, Kaelyn was a rather rare specimen in that she was a turquoise tiger from Winterspring...she didn't much care for very hot environments. Unfortunately, Kellia's travels took her to places such as the Burning Steppes, that had such surroundings. Nevertheless, Kaelyn had been with her master through many trials and adventures and was definitely not going to miss this opportunity.
The Burning Steppes was a rugged and scorched land, bubbling with lava and parched like the sands of Tanaris, which haven't seen rain in over a hundred years. The sky looming above was the color of blood and the stench in the air was filled with the smell of ash from Blackrock Mountain. Even as far south as the town of Lakeshire, you could smell the burning ash spewed forth from the cursed mountain looming over every other peak of the range.
They had both been there a few times before when they had been tasked to help clear out some of the Blackrock orcs, who had been spilling out from the intimidating Blackrock Mountain as of late. This time, however, they were going there to dig up some information. Through some friends, Kellia had learned of a growing, hidden threat to Stormwind and, in fact, the entire world of Azeroth. A tip had led her to Morgan's Vigil, the Alliance camp nuzzled in the safety of a mountain alcove on the south side of the Burning Steppes, just a stone's throw from the relatively peaceful town of Lakeshire.
Upon their arrival, Kellia asked around and spoke to people about the tips she had heard. Most were Humans, but there was one Night Elf that caught her eye. Night Elves really aren't all too common on this side of the world, so she wondered if he might be here for a specific reason.
"Good day, miss!" The Night Elf greeted her as she approached. He even acknowledged her pet, which most outside of Darnassus would fail to do. Kellia greeted the Night Elf back and introduced herself, then she explained her reason for visiting such a torn and forsaken land.
"Its nice to make your acquaintance, Kellia. I don't often get the pleasure of speaking with another Night Elf while living in this region of the world. I am Helendis Riverhorn."
"Its nice to see another friendly face," Kellia replied, "these Humans are always so gloomy." That brought a chuckle from the middle-aged Night Elf she was speaking with. "Truer words have never been spoken, I'm afraid," he replied.
Then, as if to make himself into the gloomy humans she was speaking of, his face seemed to become enveloped in shadow. She had inquired about a deeper threat that would undermine the very foundation of Stormwind if left unchecked. Stormwind's king was missing, and her efforts to uncover the reason behind this eventually took her across the globe but ended abruptly, with no clues as to where to continue the search. She was concerned that this may be somehow connected to the recent activity in Blackrock.
Finally, Helendis looked at her with a gaze that cut strait to her soul. His expression seemed to tell her that, by telling her what he was about to say, he was signing her death certificate. She had been in similar situations before, however this Night Elf's expression really, truly scared her. Finally, he spoke.
"Life in the Burning Steppes is rife with conflict, Kellia. Just look at this place! We know very little of what happened to these buildings, but we do know that at one time, before the great explosion and the Burning Legion, this was all part of the Redridge mountain range."
He paused briefly.
"Oh, enough lamenting! We have a problem. You may have noticed the dragonkin below this ridge. We need some assistance in pushing them back. If you would be so kind as to help us out and kill as many as you can, perhaps we can talk of other, more pressing, matters."
Kellia knew what dragonkin he was speaking of as she had come face to face with some of them in her exploration of the region. They were difficult, but manageable. She let out a slight smile, "I'll see what I can do," she replied.
Helendis nodded as she left his presence and headed down the mountain path that would take her to the scorched valley below.
Clearing out much of the dragonkin took Kellia and Kaelyn the better part of the day. Tasks such as this always left a bitter taste in Kellia's mouth, because she knew more enemies would soon arrive to fill the ranks of any that were lost to her hand. She also had the sudden suspicion that she had caught the attention of some hidden eyes, but it was just a gut feeling, nothing more. She shrugged it off and returned to Helendis late in the evening. She was surprised she caught him before he retired to his tent for the night.
"Ahh, you have returned!" he exclaimed when he saw her come up the ramp. As she approached, he offered her a cup of cool water and placed a large bowl of the same liquid on the ground for Kaelyn. "Thank you very much. Those dragonkin keep me awake at night, as they like creeping closer and closer to our camp here and, ultimately, Lakeshire to the south."
"Well, what we did today should hold them back for a bit longer, but nothing is certain in these times we live in."
"Indeed." Again, his face plunged into shadow, seeming to transform him into a completely different being. When he spoke again, his voice dropped to a whisper. "We had always assumed that the Blackrock orcs were a product of their savage upbringing. What we found here, in their homeland, tells us another story."
He pulled Kellia off to the side behind his neatly adorned tent. She failed to see the reason behind this, as it was late, nearly midnight, and everyone else was most likely asleep. Behind his tent, he continued.
"Indeed, it is bloodlust and thirst for conflict that empowers them, as it does all orcs. However, the black dragonflight are the beings whom control the orcs of Blackrock. We suspect that it is the black dragonflight that fuels them with rage and hostility."
The mention of the black dragonflight came as a surprise to Kellia, as it had only been spoken of in myth and rumor. Her interest in what has been happening in this region was definitely piqued now and she made a resolve right then and there to see this thing through to the end. But, she knew she would not be able to do it alone.
Helendis then held out his hand and in it was a folded, sealed letter. "Take this letter to Magistrate Solomon in Lakeshire. He will know what must be done. Please, speak of this to no one else."
Without another word he climbed in his tent and closed the flap. Kaelyn, who had been waiting silently at Kellia's side all this time, seemed to sigh, as she knew the Night Elf personality all too well. It was indeed too late to deliver this letter at the moment, so it would have to wait until the morning. Being the closest civilized town to the Burning Steppes, Kellia had already reserved a room in the inn in Lakeshire because she definitely had a feeling she would need to make use of it.
That night, Kellia and Kaelyn retired in a rather comfortable room in the inn. However, Kellia's sleep was restless as subconsciously she knew that there was a long journey ahead and a most dangerous foe lurked somewhere underneath the proud exterior of Stormwind.
So, tell me what you think of this story (remember as you read, this is actually IN the game and I am just putting it into short story form based on my character).
A Shred of Hope - Part 1
Stormwind has always been full of conflict. Even after the Burning Legion was pushed back, even after the Scourge refugee crisis was settled, there are still dark sides to the bright and cheery façade that is the face of this great city. Conflict was nothing new to Kellia and her home far away in the Night Elf kingdom of Darnassus, however the humans intrigued her. They live what appears on the surface to be peaceful lives in the beautiful area of Elwynn and its surrounding regions, however underneath it all struggle was common. From the Defias Brotherhood, to the evil happenings in Duskwood, to the advancement of the orcs from Blackrock Mountain in Redridge, Stormwind was being pushed from all sides and, in fact, from what she had discovered on her journeys in the region, was very close to total collapse.
As a proud member of the Alliance, Kellia had been doing all she could to help the Human kingdom, as she had spent most of her adult life over here with her trusted companions - whether they be her pets or her other, more humanoid, friends. She was a hunter and as such, always had a constant companion in her trusted Kaelyn. Today her and Kaelyn were traveling to the Burning Steppes. Now, Kaelyn was a rather rare specimen in that she was a turquoise tiger from Winterspring...she didn't much care for very hot environments. Unfortunately, Kellia's travels took her to places such as the Burning Steppes, that had such surroundings. Nevertheless, Kaelyn had been with her master through many trials and adventures and was definitely not going to miss this opportunity.
The Burning Steppes was a rugged and scorched land, bubbling with lava and parched like the sands of Tanaris, which haven't seen rain in over a hundred years. The sky looming above was the color of blood and the stench in the air was filled with the smell of ash from Blackrock Mountain. Even as far south as the town of Lakeshire, you could smell the burning ash spewed forth from the cursed mountain looming over every other peak of the range.
They had both been there a few times before when they had been tasked to help clear out some of the Blackrock orcs, who had been spilling out from the intimidating Blackrock Mountain as of late. This time, however, they were going there to dig up some information. Through some friends, Kellia had learned of a growing, hidden threat to Stormwind and, in fact, the entire world of Azeroth. A tip had led her to Morgan's Vigil, the Alliance camp nuzzled in the safety of a mountain alcove on the south side of the Burning Steppes, just a stone's throw from the relatively peaceful town of Lakeshire.
Upon their arrival, Kellia asked around and spoke to people about the tips she had heard. Most were Humans, but there was one Night Elf that caught her eye. Night Elves really aren't all too common on this side of the world, so she wondered if he might be here for a specific reason.
"Good day, miss!" The Night Elf greeted her as she approached. He even acknowledged her pet, which most outside of Darnassus would fail to do. Kellia greeted the Night Elf back and introduced herself, then she explained her reason for visiting such a torn and forsaken land.
"Its nice to make your acquaintance, Kellia. I don't often get the pleasure of speaking with another Night Elf while living in this region of the world. I am Helendis Riverhorn."
"Its nice to see another friendly face," Kellia replied, "these Humans are always so gloomy." That brought a chuckle from the middle-aged Night Elf she was speaking with. "Truer words have never been spoken, I'm afraid," he replied.
Then, as if to make himself into the gloomy humans she was speaking of, his face seemed to become enveloped in shadow. She had inquired about a deeper threat that would undermine the very foundation of Stormwind if left unchecked. Stormwind's king was missing, and her efforts to uncover the reason behind this eventually took her across the globe but ended abruptly, with no clues as to where to continue the search. She was concerned that this may be somehow connected to the recent activity in Blackrock.
Finally, Helendis looked at her with a gaze that cut strait to her soul. His expression seemed to tell her that, by telling her what he was about to say, he was signing her death certificate. She had been in similar situations before, however this Night Elf's expression really, truly scared her. Finally, he spoke.
"Life in the Burning Steppes is rife with conflict, Kellia. Just look at this place! We know very little of what happened to these buildings, but we do know that at one time, before the great explosion and the Burning Legion, this was all part of the Redridge mountain range."
He paused briefly.
"Oh, enough lamenting! We have a problem. You may have noticed the dragonkin below this ridge. We need some assistance in pushing them back. If you would be so kind as to help us out and kill as many as you can, perhaps we can talk of other, more pressing, matters."
Kellia knew what dragonkin he was speaking of as she had come face to face with some of them in her exploration of the region. They were difficult, but manageable. She let out a slight smile, "I'll see what I can do," she replied.
Helendis nodded as she left his presence and headed down the mountain path that would take her to the scorched valley below.
Clearing out much of the dragonkin took Kellia and Kaelyn the better part of the day. Tasks such as this always left a bitter taste in Kellia's mouth, because she knew more enemies would soon arrive to fill the ranks of any that were lost to her hand. She also had the sudden suspicion that she had caught the attention of some hidden eyes, but it was just a gut feeling, nothing more. She shrugged it off and returned to Helendis late in the evening. She was surprised she caught him before he retired to his tent for the night.
"Ahh, you have returned!" he exclaimed when he saw her come up the ramp. As she approached, he offered her a cup of cool water and placed a large bowl of the same liquid on the ground for Kaelyn. "Thank you very much. Those dragonkin keep me awake at night, as they like creeping closer and closer to our camp here and, ultimately, Lakeshire to the south."
"Well, what we did today should hold them back for a bit longer, but nothing is certain in these times we live in."
"Indeed." Again, his face plunged into shadow, seeming to transform him into a completely different being. When he spoke again, his voice dropped to a whisper. "We had always assumed that the Blackrock orcs were a product of their savage upbringing. What we found here, in their homeland, tells us another story."
He pulled Kellia off to the side behind his neatly adorned tent. She failed to see the reason behind this, as it was late, nearly midnight, and everyone else was most likely asleep. Behind his tent, he continued.
"Indeed, it is bloodlust and thirst for conflict that empowers them, as it does all orcs. However, the black dragonflight are the beings whom control the orcs of Blackrock. We suspect that it is the black dragonflight that fuels them with rage and hostility."
The mention of the black dragonflight came as a surprise to Kellia, as it had only been spoken of in myth and rumor. Her interest in what has been happening in this region was definitely piqued now and she made a resolve right then and there to see this thing through to the end. But, she knew she would not be able to do it alone.
Helendis then held out his hand and in it was a folded, sealed letter. "Take this letter to Magistrate Solomon in Lakeshire. He will know what must be done. Please, speak of this to no one else."
Without another word he climbed in his tent and closed the flap. Kaelyn, who had been waiting silently at Kellia's side all this time, seemed to sigh, as she knew the Night Elf personality all too well. It was indeed too late to deliver this letter at the moment, so it would have to wait until the morning. Being the closest civilized town to the Burning Steppes, Kellia had already reserved a room in the inn in Lakeshire because she definitely had a feeling she would need to make use of it.
That night, Kellia and Kaelyn retired in a rather comfortable room in the inn. However, Kellia's sleep was restless as subconsciously she knew that there was a long journey ahead and a most dangerous foe lurked somewhere underneath the proud exterior of Stormwind.
