When I was rested after the exertions and felt confident with my new powers, Vindicator Aalesia came to me. The Sunhawk missive had spoken of a portal to Outlands through which the Bloodhawk seemed to get new reinforcements. He wanted me to find its location. It had to be in the north, in the parts of the isle where almost none of our people ever came. He warned me that as the portal crossed the Nether, there might be strange, dark creatures about. I had to look out for anything unnatural. We went outside and he pointed northwards. Also he said, to find out the full scope of the crystals’ effect on the original population at the Isles, I had to get him a last crystal sample from the northern part of Bloodmyst to supplement my other finds. He had learned that a group of satyrs and many owlbeasts lived up north. “And one last thing, Rusty, if you find the legendary red waterfall, You’ll have to take a sample for Aesom, he is interested in that kind of marvels.”
Morae had recovered her interest in all things growing after I brought her her husband’s amulet, and as she overheard the last part of our conversation, she wanted me to get some bark from the living trees up north as well.
“Are you going North?” Nachlan asked me. He was an old red bearded dwarf, one of the very few non-draenei to be living north of the Exodar. “It is babysitting we are, you know. Outrageous, I’m an explorer, not a babysitter. And now this here gnome joined Explorers’ League almost a month ago. The last I heard from him was three weeks ago, when a scout told me that he had seen a gnome in an old turtle shell on the northern shore, surrounded by murlocs. He had a thing with murlocs that one, just like our Morae here. Could you check on him, please?” My curiosity awoke. I had never seen a gnome before, but it should be easy enough to find a strange being in a turtle shell, or maybe his earthly remains. If only it was not for the murlocs. Their name alone sent a shiver up and down my spine. Already twice had I almost lost my young life to those strange beings. But I promised him to have a look.
Next morning at the break of dawn I went north. In the beginning the land looked normal enough. I hunted a bear to have provisions for my trip, as Tracker Lyceon had already used up almost all my previous kills. I stuffed my meat bag and went on northwards. The overgrown path took me to hilly country, and soon I caught sight of owlbears. They looked like the ones in Ammen Vale until I noticed their eyes. They were stark raving mad. I circled them, regretting what the crash of the Exodar had done to wildlife here. Maybe the crystals really were tainted, and slowly - or not so slowly really - changed all life forms with which they came in close contact. And I often found small pieces of the crystals in the stomach of my prey. I had to tell this to Vindicator Aalesia on my return. The satyrs had made their dwellings on top of a hill. I went into their camp and found the crystals and killed a few for the parts Aalesia and Morae were so interested in.
As I wandered on a strange smell reached my nose. Nothing like I ever smelled before. A threatening smell if a smell can be described that way. Pungent and heavy, a bit like bad incense with ... I don’t know ... dung or blood or ... some evil element for sure. I kept my eyes peeled for anomalies. And anomalies I soon found. Big shadow-things, like the abominations warlocks summon to do their fighting. Only much bigger, clad in shoulder pads and nothing more, but shrouded in swirling mists from the dark nether. I kept a wide berth, but got a peep into the part of the Exodar they seemed to be attracted to. There was some sort of swirling darkness inside, probably the portal Vindicator Aalesia asked me to look for. I felt stupid for not having asked what a portal looked like. I left the place after noticing its place on my map.
 |
| Figting blue abominations. The portal was inside the building to the right. |
Inside sat a strange character. The Gnome. He was a smallish humanoid with a large, white beard and green goggles. He hushed me and told me that he was known by the name of Clopper Wizbang. He told me to lay low as he tried to study the murlocs. Nachlan had given me the impression that the gnome did not know what he was doing, but he came over as sane and coherent to me, if a bit talkative. No wonder when he was living alone and far away. I spent the night in his turtle shell and left all my meat and bread at his place. He was a wee bit tired of clams and fish as he put it. I promised to return when opportunity arose to provide him with a change of fare. He gave me an old treasure map, he had found, admitting that it might be a hoax, but it looked old and authentic to me.
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| Clopper Wizbang in his turtle shell |
At the end of the beach was the blood red waterfall. I filled up a flask and made for the return. Suddenly a growl of immense proportions reached my ears and the biggest, meanest looking bear I ever saw came trotting in my direction. I had only just time to pick up shield and sword before he reached me. Belatedly I remembered the hunters’ warnings of Deathclaw. He was big, but luckily for me he was as stupid as he was big. He came charging downhill and I had no trouble making him almost impale himself on my sword. He tried to get up on his hind legs to swipe me, but then I was so far beneath him that his claws only scraped my horns before my sword was lodged squarely in his shaggy midriff. The wanted posters told of a reward for bringing home his paws, so I cut them off along with the good meat. Then I made for home.
In-game notes: Level 17
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