The Molten Core

[Martok]

Part One

Waves of flame billowed out of the caverns deep within the molten core, forewarning all to a hot demise. The band of Crushers wiped the sweat from their brow, and continued on past the first set of newly dispatched molten giants. Scryll, as usual, was having the roughest time and needed extra attention by the healers.

Chieftan Maube continued to bellow out orders to the clan as they rounded the next cavern opening. Poor Alhazad was forced to engage another Molten Destroyer. Priests and Druids of the clan went into action, ensuring he would not fall before the might of the giant. Shaman of the clan continued to circle their clansmen, calling upon the element of water to shield them from the fire their foes continued to unleash upon them.

The air was full of blasts of magical energies flowing towards the destroyer. Alhazad and Greenbull continued to enrage the destroyer, keeping its attention while the spellcasters assaulted their foe until dead. The excursion into the core had thus far been a sucess!

The firelords and elementals of rock had offered only a meager resistance. But certainly their next target would prove a greater challenge! Lucifron was in their sight! Maube screached orders in regards to the packs of core hounds standing between Lucifron and the crushers. Grawuulf, with the strange look most retarded children give their parents when given a command, nodded his head and drew his daggers. Upon the charge of Greenbull, the spellcasters engulfed the area in blasts of fire, frost, and arcane energies. Crumpling to the ground, the dogs had left their path to Lucifron open.

Lucifron was no fool, and had sensed their presence. The Crushers did not wait, and immediately engaged him. Sending his lacky's in first, Lucifron's firewalker guards were immediately shot with arrows and bullets from the hunter's. Greenbull surged forward, taunting Lucifron by assaulting his lineage, and then by blowing him a kiss.

Far to the rear of the cavern, the lacky Firewalkers were swiftly being dispatched. Grawuulf, with one eye strangely looking up towards the cavern ceiling and the other towards the floor, delivered the final blow. Showing pitty upon his handicapped clansmate, Vrugz patted Grawuulf on the head as anyone would their dog. Only Lucifron remained.

Suddenly, Greenbull turned from his assault on Lucifron, obviously mind controlled! He continued on his path toward the mages, sword held high ready to strike. No sooner than the mind-controlled Greenbull had reached them, they had blinked away. A strange shriek caught Greenbull's attention, turning towards the sound of this noise, Greenbull had no time to react before a crack on his head dropped him to the ground. Standing above the fallen warrior, was the grizzled Uglutz. "Get up panzie! Me purged lat!" Uglutz yelled through his grizzled teeth.

Grumbling, Greenbull got to his feet and resumed his attack on Lucifron. Regaining Lucifron's attention, Greenbull shouted for the crushers to continue their onslaught. Warlocks worked in unison with their curses and bolts of shadow, slowly wearing down their opponent. Grawuulf, with his boggled eye affliction, continued to thrust his daggers into the air harmlessly nearly nicking the wall a couple of times.

Gordantell's gun made one last blast, and Lucifron fell to their combined might! Shouts and growls of joy consumed the party as they danced over the fallen corpse of Lucifron. Uglutz wiped a few pieces of Scryll from the bottom of his boot. Perhaps the priests could put him back together before they moved on...

[Rhoach]

Grawuulf, with his boggled eye affliction, continued to thrust his daggers into the air harmlessly nearly nicking the wall a couple of times.

Uglutz wiped a few pieces of Scryll from the bottom of his boot. Perhaps the priests could put him back together before they moved on...

((Very Nice, Uglutz... I like how you worked the raid mechanics into RP))

[Wolf]

Ooooh!! Now it's story time!!

Wait for the Rogue version.

Good read, made me chuckle this morning

[Maube]

Tazzak sat in the back of the cavern, picking his teeth with the bone of a Corehound. Or at least he hoped it was a Corehound and one of the Rogues wasnt missing a splinter of bone. Lucifron lay slain at his feet, blood still oozing from the open wounds inflicted by the massive blades of the Skullcrusher Clan. Mogbertha and Odenn scavenged the area looking for any unbroken arrows while Gordantell reloaded his Gun.

The Chieftan was scouting the foebeasts ahead, marking them out by small differences in their body shape, size color to each of her proud Warriors. The rest of the Clan were licking their wounds. As always, Lucifron Did not die without a fight. His mindcontrolling of Greenbull still caused a few casters to wince, their flimsy robes could not stand against a Tauren gone mad by the demonic powers of this Snake.

General laughter caught Tazzak's attention as he stretched, then returned to his slumping position to wait for instructions. Grawuulf that fiesty Rogue was prepared to keep the attention of one of those Corehound Puppies. Not likely Tazzak though, grinning in his feral way.

"Gra, ah dun tink dah bes healurs be keepin yer sorrah hide in one piece!" A big wink to Relikk, 'Betta let dem plate wearin Moo's take care ub et"

With a final command, the battle was engaged. The Spawn of Magmadar fell before the onslaught of the Crusher's Warparty, spells flying left and right while Maube screeched out orders on which target to attack. These foul puppies would resurrect their fallen siblings if the Clan did not slay them within moments of each other. Tazzak stretched forwards, calling on the power of his Order, healing the warrior being shredded by the dog. 3 more packs and they faced the Giant Corehound Magmadar.

The fight was briefly explained, the Crushers were eager and bloodthirsty and the Chieftan knew not much could hold them back. The Hunters readied their special missles that would exhaust the vicious dog while the mages, warlocks, druids, rogues and warriors attacked. Alhazad, while not a Crusher, stood ready to dance the deadly game with the Dog. Tazzak watched as the Tauren warrior stretched and cracked his neck. The Troll grinned wickedly, while Alhazad was not a Crusher, he had the spirit and the loyalty of any Skullcrusher, maybe more. Tazzak was honored to be fighting beside such a formidable warrior.

With a last call from Maube, the warparty surged forwards. Magmadar charged and began to bite at Alhazad, then with a roar, he sent the Crushers scattering in fear. But Alhazad stood resolute, keeping the beast's attention. Tazzak cursed as he snapped himself out of the fear, then began to fire off rapid healing to Alhazad, could not let that brave warrior succumb. Another fear blast, but this time, right through a pile of the Dog's flaming waste. Oh it burned! Tazzak felt his skin blistering and could smell the hair burning. A shield over himself and Tazzak ran out of range to bandage himself. A cool burst of healing from two then three shamans. Hubba Uglutz and Jero were all looking out for his sorry troll arse.

A grunt of thanks and Tazzak was back in the fray. "Watch fer dhat flamin conflageratin' poo!'

A battle of endurance, a battle of dancing a dangerous game... but with one last exhausted cry, Magmadar fell, extinguishing the rune on the floor behind him.

No more Dogspawns... They had killed the father of the Corehound, Ragnaros' very own Watchdog. As the clan reveled in this victory, and waited for the beast's carcass to be skinned, Tazzak looked back the way they had come... what new horrors awaited the Clan...

(( Yes I know Maube and Tazzy cant come to the same raid but wanted it from Tazzy's eyes =D ))

[Wolf]

The giant dog lay dead at the feet of the clan and its allies. Grawuulf, covered head to toe in the beast's life blood, wiped his blades clean and grinned at the resolute melee classes surrounding the smoldering corpse. He clapped a hand on the now slick shoulder plate of Alhazad and complemented him on a job well done.

Alhazad cursed as he gently pulled on his now singed beard.

Out of the corner of his eye, Grawuulf catches Rhoach gently pickpocketing a few pieces of gold from Scryll's purse as Scryll obliviously danced about the corpse, happy to have survived the fight.

Looking though the heat distorted air, Grawuulf notices the robed caster types, their bodies still emmanating residual magical energies, congratulating themselves on the rain of terror they brought to bear that helped smite the overgrown puppy.

While the ever diligent Verissi shielded himself and climbed into the bowels of the behemoth to extract the ever precious loot consumed by the beast from other, less fortunate adventurers, the melee squad, an impatient lot to begin with, trotted past the now resting casters in search of more violence.

As they prepared to assault the vicious imp pack, Maube barks an order, bringing the blood thirsty crew to a stop. The fearless leader of Clan Skullcrusher asks the war party to disrobe and in the name of efficiency, sacrifice themselves to the spirit healer to curb their blood lust. Most, not being of modest nature and thinking their Chiefette uses the opportunity for some cheap personal thrills, happily remove their gear to give her what she wants.

Most that is except for Uglutz, who being old, wrinkly and generally un-attractive even by Orc standards, is rightfully ashamed of himself and remains clothed to avoid even further embarassment while the rest of the war party runs happily, naked to their deaths.

[Jeroabem/Sabrianica]

((Backing up a tad, and then moving forward...))

Magmadar lay dead on the floor. The Guard Dog of Ragnaros the Fire Lord had been a challenge, but had been slain. Inside his body had been found wondrous treasure, possibly from some unfortunate fool who had wandered into the Molten Core alone and been stupid enough to get too close to the great beast.

Jeroabem sat there, sipping the conjured water while he listened to Sabrianica prattle on about the battle. This was her first large scale assault on any of the many threats of Azeroth, and as a grizzled veteran of many campaigns in all corners of the world, he simply sat there regaining his strength and smiling at the young Rogue. She was recounting the fight, almost blow-by-blow to him and although he was fond of the Undead Rogue for her passion and spirit, the prattle was beginning to annoy him.

Something felt not quite right. The battle, although fierce, had been almost a little too easy. Where were the two lieutenants who had helped Ragnaros defeat and then enslave Thunderaan, Garr and Geddon. Both represented elements of the Earthmother who had been twisted and corrupted by Ragnaros, and Jeroabem was not quite sure the young Rogue was ready to face them, despite the bravery she exemplified.

Tazzak wandered up to him, dragging in his wake the Chieftain, Maube, and Uglutz, the Shaman who had communed with the spirits at her Elevation Ceremony. Greenbull and Alhazad also came up. The Cheiftain wasted no time explaining the next assault.

Scouts had noticed that another lieutenant, one Ghennas and his guards sat over another rune needed to summon the Fire Lord. Maube explained that although the Father of the Core Hounds was dead, his sons still roamed the Core and they would need to be dealt with. Advice was asked for, tactics reviewed and the rallying cry issued.

Sabrianica, in her youth, pulled the Battle Standard from the ground where it had been planted and ran forward to the front of the pack. Maube, Tazzak, Uglutz, and Jeroabem all laughed at her. Enthusiasm was one thing, yet she took it to a whole new level. Alhazad and Greenbull took up flanking positions alongside the young Rogue, and the mood of the war party lightened at the humorous procession…until the battle resumed.

A pair of Molten Giants, attracted by the titanic battle in Magmadar’s cavern had taken a blocking position along the path of the party. Alhazad and Greenbull exchanged knowing glances before yelling their battle cries and charging the enemy. Again, the magical energies were unleashed. Druids and priests through our healing. Shaman alternated between their own calling on spirits of the Earthmother and their own healing to support the party as they could. It was then that Jeroabem saw the unthinkable.

Perhaps taunted by her brazen approach, perhaps she had been blinded by her enthusiasm and lulled into a sense of security in a core still dangerous to the grizzled party, Sabrianica had wandered too close to a Firelord. His anger was ignited and he began to mercilessly pummel the Rogue. Jeroabem did what reflex demanded. He called upon the Strength of the spirits of the Earth, the Grace of the spirits of the Air and the protection of the spirits of the Water before he began a suicidal assault on the Firelord. His weapon, the mighty Earthshaker, enhanced with the Rockbiter Spell diverted the attention of the Firelord from the young rogue, but he himself was no match. His plight grew worse as the Firelord spawned a miniature version of himself. His life draining away in the searing heat, he managed to utter “Vanish” before he fell to the ground.

The war party was galvanized. Jeroabem was known for his heroics, which some thought he had taken from the book he lovingly called “The Libram of Stupidity”. The Giants were dead. The spawn was handled and even the Firelord soon was eradicated from existence. Tazzak laughed at the young rogue as he began to resurrect Jeroabem. Uglutz wasn’t so kind. He knocked the young Rogue to the ground and put a firm, heavy foot on her chest.

“Latz nub du dat agin. Nub aggervate dem Fireys agin. Yu clomp only wat Alhazad an Jero am clompin. Nub listen? Me clom yu, unnerstan?”

The party moved on. Ghennas and his two lackies came into sight. Maube maneuvered the party around the room, clearing an area large enough to battle the foes. The plan was set, and the battle for this rune began. The guards were separated from Ghennas. He called out curses while calling down a deadly rain of fire. Mages countered the curses as best they could while still sending out deadly magicks into his body. Without his guards, it quickly became a battle of wills, and while he was strong, Maube’s War Party was stronger. Although some fell during the fight, Ghennas was slain, and Jeroabem grinned when he looked across the now open chasm past Firelords, Core Hounds, Molten Giants and Destroyers and saw his favored prey – the Earth Elemental Garr.

[Chrysalia]

She stood on the brink of the precipe, looking down at the funnel of molten earth below. By the titans, the dwarves did know how to create things both beautiful and eerie didnt they.

She reminisced fondly of the first days she and the clan had come here and had been beaten fiercly many times, going home with nothing but their singed armor and broken weapons.

To think, how far they had come since those days, to the point where they would face and defeat the mighty Ragnaros himself. But that ship had sailed, and she had missed it.

She sighed in quiet contemplation, turned, and left the mountain behind her, seeking death and destruction to soothe her broken spirit.

Edited July 28, 2006 by Chrysalia