A Druid Journal

I Elhdras Winterleaf will start this journal so that my findings can be into some use if I ever get lost in battle. In this journal you will find the answers that I seek; answers, those are the purposes of my studies, the longing for the many questions in my head. I sense troubled times for which I do not have any answers of my own. Whenever a Brother or Sister of mine ask me «Sister why do you think the fish are sick? Why is the fel entangling so deep?» my face goes blank, for I do not know. A decision came thru within my soul, this journal of mine will aid anyone interested in the well being of the Elven lands.
In some months already, I and Manathon started to study the sick fish within the Mystral Lake; we attended to the strange and even more aggressive behavior of the Furblogs; the increasing fel within the lands; the sudden and increasing earthquakes; and many more issues regarding the forests. The Cenarion Circle didn’t look upon our findings reason of worries for they had other troubles to attend to. Even so, I and my Brother decided to take these matters onto or hands. Within this spirit we reached the Commander and the Lieut. General with our concerns; we already had a plan in mind. I won’t be without answers anymore; I will seek for those within my studies, with a new purpose. Manathon and I schedule some travels through the infected areas of Kalimdor. The results of our studies and findings will be described here.

Ande’Thoras’Ethil, Elhdras

Journal entry 1:

While I headed to the Raynewood Retreat, the night was approaching. The forest grew silent and the moon appeared with most glowing light behind the high trees. The yellow light of a full moon contrasted in a most beautifull way against the darker blue sky. I will always keep close to my heart this images of the beautiful Ashenvale forest, for it is my home, my safe place.
Finally I reached the Retreat, Commander Aariam and Sentinel Atirian reached shortly after. They volunteered to help placing at our service their skills and expertise. We ought to travel right way, the long journey ahead waited us. The sabers were ready and our moral was high. At most we would be away from Ashenvale for six days, for at least 4 days would be spent in travelling.
Manathon was the one with a map at hand, leading us thru the Stonetalon Mountains and Desolace. Heading to the Stonetalon Mountains, passing thru the Talondeep path, a most horrible sight was gazed upon: the cut and burned trees of these lands due to the work of Goblins; elementals made of fire roamed thru these lands flaming the nearby trees; ancient protectors gone mad and bloodfuries everywhere. Samples were taken from future studies.
In a while the party reached Desolace, such empty place. In these lands we ceased the opportunity to rest and feed the sabers before we soon be on run again. Although the landscape is arid and bare, the demons presence is something to be dealt with in a future time.
With only a few hours of rest the party soon head into travel once again. While on the run, it was decided then to go right ahead into Feathermoon Hold. Needless to say we were well welcomed; permission was granted to remain on the island and to further pursue or studies, also a house was put at our disposal so we could remain safe from the natural conditions. While writing this I can see my Brothers and Sisters resting for this was a very hard travel; tomorrow a long day of work wait us.

Elhdras Winterleaf

Journal entry 2:

This day was one of rain. The trees had in them a darker shade of green and the raindrops echoed thru the lake; as the rain would continue to fall onto Nighthaven it seemed as the flow of time had stopped.
With this weather, Elhdras ventured deep in Moonglade, near the lake Elune’Ara she looked for cover, finding it in a large hollow tree; this tree was tall, majestic, still showing such beautiful foliage. Near her would be Or’l, her companion for long years now. Or’l was slightly sleeping, possibly lethargic by the weather, in trance with the mesmerizing sound of rain.
After a while Elhdras picked up some parchments and a feather: she started to write.

I am now at Moonglade and some days have already passed since I last wrote. Although I don’t have many findings to note down, one last thing was discovered. Manathon had studied the Elemental Ashes retrieved in Stonetalon Mountains and therefore, we can with most certainty tell, that such entity is not arcane but in fact spirit. Even if this finding was not what we would think of, there is still hope; despite the deep corruption within the Stonetalon Mountains we can for sure mend it and restore this land to its former state.
On another matter, in the last days we remain in Feralas, we ceased the rest of the available time collecting more samples that could answer our doubts and questions. One of our main purposes was to venture in the Ruins of Eldre’Thalas, but certain circumstances wouldn’t allow. Commander Aariam Nightborne had to leave earlier since she was called with utmost necessity in Darnassus and Sentinel Atirian Whitesaber would be mapping some areas in Feralas. Therefore, in last minute, some changes were made: we would venture into the Ruins of Isildien.
While Manathon would gaze onto his map of Feralas, I stand by beach reckoning the findings we got so far: dragonkin’s roaming thru ruins of old, imbedded in the aura of the close portal exuding the Nightmare influence; enraged and aggressive behavior that the beats in these lands showed, definitely beyond normal.
In time we head to the destiny Manathon had suggested and, into the High Wilderness we ventured. Soon enough we reached the Ruins of Isildien and we were not prepared for the sight we would gaze upon: ogres everywhere and their pestilent foul smell; the Temple of the Moon crushed and trampled; the Moonwell defiled and corrupted; slaughtered animals around! This was something I was not prepared to see. All I could think was my own Sister Serindë; I had already lost one Sister to the Orc’s am I to lose another to Orgres or any kind of lesser race? Had the Sisters of Elune from this Temple, able to escape the destiny of death? Beyond worry I felt an anguish and wrath I can’t describe thru writing. I must say I do not comprehend fully the actions I would eventually perform, for I instigated unconsciously an open fight to the Ogres near me and purposely put in danger myself and my Brother life. Although we were to venture in the ruins without bring any attention to ourselves, for we were alone, I derailed in an utmost erratic behavior. Since I was shape shifted in my Cat form, the animal instinct in me toke over; I would only want the blood of those beasts in my paws – in my mind their death would ease some of my pain. Brother Manathon hurried, running in my entail, trying to soothe me and ease this unpredictable behavior; a battle field that wasn’t supposed to be, had crashed. When I was able to hear his words, my fur was full of blood, claws and fangs dripping with this liquid, corpses all around. Although my mind returned I still wasn’t focused enough to change into my Elven form. Manathon kept by my side, mumbling words of reassurance, of ease; he lead me to my tranquil self allowing me to return to my own true form.
I have felt an uncontrollable rage and fury that I haven’t felt in centuries.
Later on, my mind would be centered enough so we could restore the Moonwell to his prior force; we prayed and voiced some incantations allowing the well to initiate its recovery. Manathon and I remained there for at least some hours more. When the dimer light of the sun started to approach the horizon from afar we ventured home, Or’l guiding me thru the harsh journey until Nighthaven.
In this day my spirit remains restless, my mind still tired.

Elhdras Winterleaf

Elhdras lays down the written parchments in her lap, gazing the calm turmoil that the raindrops make when touching the water surface. A long sigh escapes her lips, before she closes her eyes.

Journal Entry 3

Elhdras gazes her journal, the blank pages of it, smudging a corner of it with a small drop from the ink. Although she is in the Silverwing Outpost for now, the calm night of this day is in many ways different from the hectic battlefield the elves have seen in the latest days. Today the window blows in a very soft whisper gracing Elhdras skin as it passes by letting her feel the ache from her tired and bruised body. Blessed by the Moon, she has not suffered any major wound but even in the most comfortable position she feels every hit made onto her body.
Gazing the unclean white page once again Elhdras sighs at her fellow soldiers leaving for their patrols. Closing her eyes before she starts to write, the memories of the last few days flow to her spirit; the feather in her hand almost moves itself.

Ashenvale has recently been stage of innumerous assaults by the Orc’s forces; the call for battle has been sound and every soldier reported for duty. I do not have the time myself to study the land anymore as I wished to, my claws are worn and my fur is constantly full of blood; I am needed in battle. I have seen the arrows fly from the sky, their sharp noise rushing through the foliage and the armor of my fellow Brothers; every time I see a blade dig into the flesh of my own I hear their shout of pain, their anger following next as mad beast killing everything in sight. The battlefield is one of great turmoil of actions and emotions.
During these days I have tended to my fellow soldiers, mending their wounds: carved arrows, inflicted poisons, deep cuts from axes and swords; I might add I have seen it all. The few able to stand alone fit for any small encounter, are requested to scout the surrounding areas once again. Earlier in the night, I have also left to the dark forest of Ashenvale seeking my prey as a hungry beast for its flesh. Although I was to seek the groups of Orc’s, I came across with an assembly of undead cultists lurking in Ashenvale, the same that Sister Shaelyssa had pointed some moons before. While closing in their tents a foul stench came from within their own bodies, fel alchemy practiced by every each of them. Taking an advantage of the shadows surrounding me, I waited for the best opportunity to retrieve a sample of such blasphemous poison; the corruption within such liquid could probably be the answer of the corruption growing in Ashenvale. To easily retrieve a sample of such poison I needed to kill one of them first, if I was ever caught I could be without doubt outnumbered. Either way, I eventually climbed a tree and leaped to an undead near a bottle of such foulness; with my claws I rapidly cut this abomination throat before he could even let out any kind of sound.
Next to me resides such bottle and the only answer I do know so far is that such liquid is indeed a disease. To why these abominations keep and produce this kind of disease I do not know; it might be a plan or scheme into letting Ashenvale perish into the same state as Felwood or to conduct experiments on our own kin. Although without any prove or cause, I do feel they might be conducting experiments on our own and indeed they should be stoped. In due time, I will return to Nighthaven and seek help into finding a cure to this strange and corrupt disease. May the Sentinels deal with their physical threat for their alchemy worries me further.
For now I will leave myself into resting, the night has been far too long.

Elhdras Winterleaf

As the light of the moon fades into the growing beams of the arriving dawn, Elhdras trades the Outpost for a quiet den. Before she lets herself fade into the warm embrace of sleep, Elhdras licks the aching wounds of her paws southing the throbbing pain she now feels.
In the forest itself, the animals grow awake, merging themselves to the already hearable sounds of the earth. Indifferent to the latest happenings, the woods grow to its full vivacity.

Keep them coming. A pleasant read ^^

Journal Entry 4

In this starry night the wind blows abruptly; elegant crows fly high in the sky venturing in the abundant winds felt. In the nearby lake small waves are made with the harsh touch of the wind and fish are seen near the surface; the elements are stirring the nature from its calm sleep. In a tree nearby two elves might be seen, near the barrow dens of the old they linger; druids themselves, focused on their subjects, silence among them.
As usual Manathon keeps to his usual somber silence as he studies an herb tainted with the touch of the Nightmare; as for Elhdras she remains focused on the effects the forsaken disease has on the small animals of the glade. From time to time they address words either for themselves or for each other. The words lose themselves in the singing of the trees, in their soaring sound.

- Say Sister, are you to write today?
- Yes… I might do it.
- You ought to, might free you from your current state. This tiredness you always seem to carry with you.

Once again the words loose themselves in the air, as it the wind would disintegrate them into nothing.
Some fire brown Squirrels surround Elhdras and as she gives them some nuts infected with the disease, a strange aura grows within them. They let small squeaks before they fade into a series of erratic actions, their spirit lost to the infection. As Elhdras mumbles some words helping these squirrels to find their spirit, the incantation seems to work retrieving the animals to their former self.

- It seems the incantation works on smaller animals, but will they work on us?
- Hm?
- We are far more complex than these smaller animals. I need to study further.
- I might say that if I am able to remove the taint from this plant we might clean the glade in Feralas from the taint of the Nightmare. But Fel corruption is far different from this type of corruption. This intrigues me deeply.

Letting the fair animals leave, Elhdras retrieves some blank parchments to write from her pouch. The already written pages of her journal are smudged and in them it can be seen some aside notes. For some time Manathon gazes Elhdras and her writing but soon enough is distracted by the plant in front of him, trying a series of incantations without any reasonable finding.

In the latest week I have been in the Stonetalon Mountains. This area has suffered enough with the Orc’s presence and the heavily population of Goblins, infecting all the living things. In an utmost effort to cleanse the area, not only Druids but members of the Sentinel Army have put to their skills into mending such assaulted area. One of the highest threats seemed to be the liquid infesting the lake; it turned out to be “oil” that the Goblins have been producing for some moons now and it would harm the fauna and flora alike with consequences we cannot fully grasp so far.
After studying the samples brought from this lake, I was able to find a practical cure to the “oil” infested lake in this heavily polluted area. Although the cure seemed to be easy enough to create as it only evolves some herbs and concentrated snake poison, the incantations we do cast onto the lake seem effortless. Therefore we can indeed conclude that this “oil” threat isn’t work of any special magic or fel taint but a corrosive liquid linked to their kind of technology.
In this past week I have been placing the elixir in the water itself, gazing from up close its possible effects during this time. My conclusions follow next: we have indeed succeeded to remove this “oil” taint from the lake and found the elixir strong enough to remove the taint without damaging furthermore the surroundings but, nevertheless, the goblins do continue to place the barrels containing this liquid in the water neutralizing the effect of the elixir; the results of the elixir do depend on the amount of the “oil” already in the water. Therefore, I believe that if we ever do eradicate the goblins presence in the area we are to be truly victorious regarding this threat.
On another topic and regarding the earliest travel to Feralas, I have already found some answers. In fact, despite the Ogre presence in the ruins of the many temples of the Moon, I believe we might be able to mend the tainted moonwells to its former state with the passing of the moon; the menace the Ogres symbolize in these ruins might be dwelled in time and perhaps the Sentinel army can even rebuilt these former ruins to new constructions in due occasion. May our belove Elune bless us with the strength to follow her wishes. Also, I have asked the Sentinels in the Fearthermoon Hold to send an owl to me if they ever find the earthquakes to be menace enough to their safety; no word has reached me. Perhaps the restlessness of the earth has decided to travel somewhere else to far way lands. Either way it would prove right to be ever vigilant.
In the matter concerning the taint of the Nightmare, if we eventually do find a way to remove its grasp in the lands of Feralas, it might proven worthy to assemble a party of elves to travel to this luxurious forests once again; the dragonkins residing there are long due to be removed from there. We may only hope there is in fact an answer for such corruption. For now I can only gaze my Brother owns studies and as well help him. May my next entry be of good news.

Elhdras Winterleaf


As she gazes her Brother, Elhdras hands down the newly written pages of the journal for Manathon to read. She can see his emotionless face as he read the words carved into paper, sometimes nodding into agreement.
Next to her a half awaked saber breaths, letting the warm air reach Elhdras arm and as it does she lets out a most felted smile, one she has not felt in some time. Ending his reading, Manathon lays down the parchments returning to its study; next to him Elhdras do places herself comfortably into Or’ls fur, letting herself sleep if only for a short while.