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[Story] The Stouthammer Expedition
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Post by
Arathanar
(( Originally this post was going to be a bio of Arathanar, but I realized no one on these boards knows anything ABOUT Arathanar, so a biography would hold almost no meaning. Consider it a prequel in the works if you're
that
starved for my creative genius, and I
know
you are. ))
Having a house near your job is quite handy, no matter what that job might be.
However, it is extremely useful when your job is such that, in the dead of night, some short-bearded prospector wakes you up about a "discovery", and you need to leave without so much as a second nightcap.
Such was the night of December 7th, 31. Slipping through unstable piles of recently-bought Winter's Veil presents, Explorer Arathanar Stouthammer groggily stepped out of his slightly-more-than-modest housing outside the Hall of Explorers after quickly slipping into a League uniform and his favorite russet hat.
To be fair, however, night and day were utterly interchangeable in the winter months in Ironforge, when the main gates were shut from the great snowstorms that gave the upcoming holiday it's name.
Striding across the great hall, he truly realized how late it was when he saw that even Mae had abandoned her near-constant post at the public library's entrance. The disgruntled explorer gave the dark, circular reading chamber and its infinitely tall shelves a slight glance as the elevator clunked into service.
He contemplated why he was here as the platform descended. The young dwarf that has awoken him blathered on about Northrend and some artifacts or other nonsense. Most likely the Doorward had found yet another ancient Nerubian artifact or relief. While the doom-professing inscriptions were interesting, they quickly lost their novelty after the umpteenth grub-droppings dish was found.
Carefully timing his reflexes, Arathanar managed not to lock his knees as the precise moment the elevator violently landed at the bottom level. The League's work chambers were a stark contrast to the sleepy, mildly unsettling emptiness of Ironforge; brightly lit and full of dwarves darting this way and that, carrying stacks of parchment twice their height. Baelgun's forces must have really turned up something special this time.
Walking down the hall, grumbling mildly whenever some disposable messenger trod on his heel, he finally found his personal office, accompanied by the utterly bewildering sight of a three important-looking dwarves, one of who was... Munin Magellas? The High Explorer? In his office? This was serious.
(( Cliffhanger! Woo, scary! ))
Post by
Arathanar
The office was not big by any means; a large desk behind which a small fireplace dwelt. It was thus not unimaginable that, with four dwarves, all standing, the room was slightly cramped.
Munin spoke, in a rare occasion of taking off his signature spectacles.
"Stouthammer, I'm sure m'presence, a' well as th' ruckus outside, 'as informed you of the seriousness 'o th' situation."
He gestured to the other two dwarves, who Arathanar now recognized as a League councilwoman and a senator, respectively. The pompous air of the latter was certainly enough to identify him by.
"This is Councilwoma' Hammerspike, an' this is Senator Greyboulder. Am I righ' in tha' ye don' know why yeh're here, Arath?"
The address by his first name, let alone the shorthand form, was as much of a shock as anything else that had happened this evening.
"Aye, sir. I do hope ye didn't pull me out o' bed a'... whatever time it is, for another relic 'o Flamebeards, righ'?"
The senator smiled slightly, and his eyes slid, only for a moment, to a paper that Arathanar had not yet noticed on his desk. Before he could get a closer look, however, Greyboulder cleared his throat and stared directly at him, as Munin replied.
"In a matter 'o speakin', I suppose so. Take a look."
The High Explorer held up a small slab of dolomite, engraved with incredibly small runes. On one hand, the thing could easily be yet another hoax. On the other, runes with this precision hadn't been seen since the first time they had heard mention of...
"...Ulduar." The senator finally spoke.
"I've heard from 'ol Magellas here tha' yeh're quite the explorer, Stouthammer! Tha's why we need ye. Why Ironforge needs ye."
For a moment, he forgot all about his history with the crown. All about his past dealings with senators. All about their political maneuverings. This dwarf was offering him a chance to go to Ulduar, after all the trouble he had caused them. He was utterly speechless.
"Ye see, we need a leader for the League in the southlands while we send the majority of our forces up to Northren'. Ye catch me drift, lad? Yeh're tha' dwarf."
And then it all came rushing back. The councilwoman finally spoke.
"Aye'll be leading the northern forces, m'friend! I guess we'll be see a lot 'o each other in the next few weeks! G'luck t'ya!" she said, with an utterly contemptive smile.
"...aye. I kin do tha'. When do I get me... supplies?"
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