7 AA, Month 9
Turn 15
You lay with Kaz on a vast clefthoof hide blanket, gazing out at the Twisting Nether.
"And then what happened," she whispers, her breath tickling your ear.
"The Furies…they spoke to me, they showed me who I was…who I could be. I…said which of their interpretations that I felt was the closest to the truth…and then…I woke up."
She hums into your ear in a way that makes you tingle but it's a curious hum not the other kind that parts of you are excited about.
"That sounds…amazing," and then all excitement washes out of you as you realize how sad she sounds. "To be able to commune with the Furies so strongly…"
"I do not know about that," you finally turn and cup her by the chin, letting your noses touch and eyes gaze into one another. "It was quite a trying experience. I do not want you nor our child to suffer for that."
"Perhaps," she mumbles before grabbing your arm and wrapping it around her and her steadily growing stomach. "Perhaps they would reject me outright for the color of my skin and the taint left behind in my soul."
You growl.
"Then they would be fools to do so. You are Mag'har, now and forever."
You are faster than before. Stronger than before. Ever part of you feels in tune with what the Furies granted you and their blessings has changed you deep within. It is a wondrous feeling and for all that the elements may be frustrating in their own ways, they are part of life. Part of the world, just as you are, and far more helpful than not once properly appeased. And they are forever better for your people's
souls than the damned demons, the Burning Legion, the warlocks, the accursed fel. The elements, the Furies, are, now and forever, part of the Mag'har and their ways.
Military: Garrosh has been rather inspired lately, giving speeches about redemption and forging new paths. All traces of his previous depression has disappeared beneath his new outlook on life. (Choose 2):
Clad In Metal: With the mines open and the forges working, you can now utterly remove the advantage that the Horde and Legion has over your warriors. In that your bone and leather and few personal weapons made from metal are largely incapable of matching the fel iron weapons and armor that your foe possesses. No more. Now, with the right application of effort and wealth you can clad your warriors in their own iron and steel, and replace their weapons with
better ones. With that, you will match the enemy in all ways now, and so bring an ultimate victory that much closer to your reach. Cost: 3000. Time: 3 Months. Reward: Military overall upgraded to metal for arms and armor.
Will Complete Next Turn.
Strike the Horde Again: There is no need to let up on the Horde. To let them know that they are
not going to be able to hit the Alliance as they like whenever they want. You are already sabotaging their forces, their supplies, and such, but that is going to grow harder as they begin supplementing their forces with demons. The gate in Nagrand is gone. The Gate in Zangarmarsh is contained…for now. You have no idea what is left, how many more were created, but for now there are no more demons coming from the north. The only source of the blasted creatures is Shadowmoon Valley, the only location of the Horde as well. Though Garrosh is a little busy, and Kaz is pregnant, and Jorin is injured, you still have plenty of fighters and people willing to kill. Exercise your shamans and arcane warriors, your warriors as well. With the draenei helping you can easily push harder than before. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Dead Legion, Dead Horde, Alliance aided. Chance of Success: 75%
The Ring of Blood: The Ring of Blood is an ancient gladiator arena that was constructed by the ogres at one point and then later claimed by the orcs as they pushed out the ogre empire. Considering the sheer number of warriors that you have one hand and the fact that you cannot ever consent to sending them all in one great mass without the direst of reasons it might be a place worth controlling once more. Orcs are a naturally combative race and if they do not do something to work out such tensions then they might grow unruly. Even you know this despite everything else. But better than that would be a chance for them to shed a little blood together, gain some more real experience in battle, and perhaps make friends! Better comraderie amongst your warriors is always good…and actually if you make sure to keep mixing the last vestiges of the clans they might better become true Mag'har. Cost: 1000. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Ring of Blood reclaimed for usage. Slight ongoing training and skill maintaining for forces. Might later become something more??
Small Hellfire Outpost: Velen's draenei, reconnecting with their fellows in Hellfire and vice versa, have by the words of the Prophet been convinced to communicate some interesting information. There is a high hill, nearly a mountain, with a single and treacherous path upwards that might be of use to you for a large outpost or even large base if you later expand it. You have just enough warriors to man it and getting information on a whole other area of Draenor is not something that you can miss out on entirely. Better is the fact that they won't have to deal with too much stealth with the massive Alliance presence so why not be able to build open defenses and such? It might make for synergy with the draenei as well! Cost: 1000. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Small Hellfire Peninsula Outpost near Telhamat.
Diplomacy: If there's anything that Greatmother Geyah has taught you, is that not all things can be conquered by a warriors strength. It was with words that the first shamans parlayed with the Furies, the sentient elementals of Draenor. It will be with words that you accomplish more than just a good axe. (Choose 2):
Making War Alongside the Warmaul, Talking Part: The Boulderfists are still against you, and while you've convinced the Warmaul to at least not attack you, that's not quite the same thing as having them as true allies. You know what would work better? Working together to smash someone you both don't like very much. It would be a mixture of straight violence against merciless and seemingly impossible-to-appease ogres and diplomacy. Which, when it comes to their kind, is pretty much the same thing. If you work together with the Warmaul to smash their foes then it should raise their opinion of you considerably so long as you are successful of course. Of course what is required is that you actually convince Cho'war to fight alongside you and crush the remaining Boulderfist in Nagrand. This would also have the benefit of raising his esteem amongst his kind and allow him to fold the remaining Boulderfist into his forces and raise those numbers. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Cho'war agrees to try and crush the rest of the Boulderfists in Nagrand alongside you, potential for large opinion boost.
Ogre Assistance: You need some truly heavy fighters to take on the Horde and the Legion, and luckily there is a population of them nearby. The Pillager might not be the most diplomatic sounding name, but if you paid him and his ogres in food and shiny things you might be able to convince them to go forward and strike against your enemies. The Alliance needs all the help they can get, even with the assistance of your own warriors and Velen's. The Horde's numbers are…distressingly large, and the Legion can summon assistance from nowhere through their portals. At least, with ogres, you should be able to finally push them back somewhat. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Ogre's persuaded to fight against the Horde/Legion in Terokkar Forest. Chance of Success: 65%
Dreghood Communications: The Dreghood are strongly shamanic. This is of great interest to you. Perhaps there could be some common ground found between your peoples? While the Velenic draenei seem to disdain communication with most of their 'Broken' brethren you do not find the same sensations welling up inside of you. After all, is not your mate green and fel tainted just as they have been warped by the Legion as well? You cannot simply dismiss them out of hand, much less because of the fact that the Furies find them worth talking to in some measure or another. Would they be interested in fighting against the Legion along with you, perhaps? Trade of some kind or another? Or perhaps simply speaking between your shamans? Either way, speaking is better than not speaking. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Communications opened up between Mag'har and Dreghood Tribe of Broken.
Stewardship: Garadar simply cannot hold all of these people. Your supplies strain already, and as more and more orcs grow healthy once more the amount of food and housing required will far eclipse what the small city can hold. This must be attended to, and quickly. (LOCKED):
Improving Roads: You have the funds and materials, and you have the idea. Roads help you move trade, it helps your warriors move with more ease than the regular dirt and grasses. Between every single one of your various settlements and those leading up to the Velen's people and his own places. Also perhaps to Sporeggar, why not. It isn't the most glorious work, it isn't even going to be the fastest work, but hopefully it will help everyone along in getting to where they need to go. Right? Cost: 2000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Full on roads leading to all of your settlements as well as that of your allies. Good for lots of stuff.
Upgrade All Tools: Now that you have access to metal tools, you need to upgrade across the whole of your people's various homes and settlements. Bone and stone are the past, well they always were but you just didn't have the metal tools at the time. It's time to change that. It will cost a pretty amount of your wealth but it is worth it for such strong sturdy things to move out across the land. This will help you build things faster, mine faster, forge faster, and all that and more. Cost: 3000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Metal tools replace all stone and bone across the realm. Build Times reduced all over the place.
Will Complete In Two More Months.
Schoolhouse Gul'rok: With Jorin's recent injuries and need to fully dedicate himself to his studies, his has brought up an interesting proposal. He wishes to heavily expand Gul'rok, but not just normally. Specifically, he wishes to turn it into a place of study, a place of research. Essentially, a place where he may pursue his studies in various direction, while other orcs could do the same. It would take a fair bit of income to ensure that it is all made of sturdy enough construction to not be too damaged should any experiments go out of control. Cost: 3000. Time: 3 Months. Rewards: Gul'rok heavily expanded. +1 Learning Option Per Turn.
Will Complete Next Turn.
Learning: Jorin and the Bleeding Hollow seem to all be vigorously studying the few arcane tomes recovered from Mogor's little hoard. Though many of them are also at the Throne of Elements, a few core members, led by Jorin, wish to do more with this strange new power that is not of the demons. (LOCKED):
Riding Clefthoofs: You have a population of Clefthoofs to begin trying things with. The first thing you'd like to try is getting a saddle on them and then training them for battle. Back before Ner'zhul, they were quite aggressive indeed. For goodness sake, Banthar is still running about in central Nagrand, and she's the largest Clefthoof ever seen. If you managed to properly armor them and train them...well, they'd be capable of smashing apart enemy formations with ease. It's a portion of warfare you simply do not have a counterpart for at the moment. Cost: 2000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Clefthoof Cavalry - Heavy Cavalry Forces. Chance of Success: 50%.
Will Complete In Two More Turns.
Magic Food: So, the deal is thus. One of the spells displayed by the Alliance mages and discovered in Jorin's perusal of Mogor's stolen materials from Azeroth is one to create food and water. Apparently it even actually does act as food. Transmuting pure arcane energy into a bountiful feast is such an incredibly useful thing that Jorin wants to spend a good amount of time working on it so that in times of major emergency your people can fall onto that rather than starve. But he also does not want your people to become dependent on it. So, a good study. Cost: 1000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Food Supply Boosted. Food level of Stable will require larger decreases to achieve a deficit. Chance of Success: 85%
Piety: The Furies stand imperiously at the Throne of the Elements. Greatmother Geyah has long been the overall spiritual leader of the Mag'har, and it is through her that you make your requests of the elements. (LOCKED):
Grant Us Your Blessings: The elements have returned to the Mag'har. Their pain has been soothed. Now, you may once more return to the ways of the past where the spirits helped whisper to the people where to hunt and helped plow the fields and bring the rains. Overall, a great thing indeed that many orcs have been looking forward to ever since the elements returned. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Hunting and Farming income boosted.
Calming Zangar Furies: Out of all the badly affected Furies, only those of the Spires have it worse. Those of Gorgrond and Frostfire Ridge still retain a landmass to return to, with aspects from both drawn in. The Zangar Sea, now the Zangarmarsh, is an alien landscape that quite frankly frightens and is scaring the Zangar Furies. Their Balance has been utterly destroyed, with more Wind and Earth than they have ever been comfortable with suddenly present. It was a place of Water, and now not so much. They require much assistance in calming and soothing their pains. Cost: 1000. Time: 5 Months. Reward: Zangar Sea Furies grow more accepting of their new positions as the Furies of Zangarmarsh. Calmer. Easier for Shamans in those areas. Better for everyone in general.
Will Complete This Turn.
Intrigue: Something that you have to admit is that poisonings, skulkings, and general sneaking is something that the Laughing Skulls were forced into becoming quite proficient at. Kaz the Shrieker is skilled at it as well. (Choose 1):
Tracking Arrakoa: So the mad bird men are apparently based at one single city that they have built, or rebuilt, or recovered, or something else besides after the apocalypse. Regardless, you need to find this place. Whether to put the bird men out of their misery or discover a way to...well, it would be quite presumptuous to say 'fix them' but at least figure out a way to avoid just culling them all. At least you retained Nagrand, they lost the Spires of Arak in their entirety. How tragic...but you cannot brook their continued raids forever. Cost: 500. Time: 3 Months. Reward: Location of Skettis. Chance of Success 75%.
Investigating Arrakoa Of Hellfire: These are a group of the bird-men cut off from the rest of their fellows deep within Terrokar. It would be a great boon if you knew whether or not they are as mad as the rest of their kind and are planning on any foolishness. Though it would pain you, and you do not wish to slaughter them without reason, if you could remove them before they are able to become a problem then it would be prudent to do so. But you will do no such thing without confirming this, and ensuring that there is absolutely no way that you can communicate with these ones at least. Perhaps if they are so distant from the rest of their brethren they will not be nearly as prone to attacking all things around them? Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Hellfire Arrakoa Information. Chance of Success: 85%
Personal Actions: You used to have free time. Now you are responsible for tens of thousands of people's lives. It is an amazingly heavy burden, but your back and legs are pretty strong and you aren't about to give up. But you can still make some time for yourself. (Choose 2):
Let's Go Hunting: There are mighty beasts in Nagrand. Beasts that stand or fly taller than any of their brethren. Much prestige can be found for the orc who slays them and takes their parts as trophies. Not to mention the meat and hide. It is both recreation and personal adventure to hunt, and seeing as you have secured most of Nagrand now quite well, you have the opportunity to indulge yourself. Wouldn't it be nice to have some stories to tell your children one day? Cost: 0. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Get list of Trophy Hunts to go after. Each will grant prestige and unique reagents for….uh, stuff. Likely unique armors and weapons or trinkets that could be enchanted?
Getting Kaz Healed: Your mate is still injured! This must be rectified. With the recent growing closeness between the shamans and the Furies, surely they can do something for her. If not them, then Garrosh can test out his new connection with the Light! Or some of his brethren, or perhaps you can speak to the Draenei themselves who surely have great healing capabilities. You want your wife in the peak of possible health when she gives birth to your child damn it! When you speak to any and all of them about this you will be much calmer and more respectful, obviously.
The Blade of the Uniter, Stage One: You hear whispering in your dreams, now that you have spoken to the Furies and communed with them. It comes to you in the sounds of a small trickling stream at times and the crash of the ocean at others – even if there is no more oceans for Draenor. What it means you do not quite know but if you truly try to commune with the Furies then perhaps you will learn more. What is it that they desire from you? It is another trial like the last one? You hope not, that was rather stressful indeed. And painful too…but then again a bit of pain is nothing for you. Cost: 0. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Commune With Furies Once More with way less danger involved.
