(H-RP) Path of Dawnchaser (Tauren only)

The Wanderers: Down The Mountain

Not even a day had passed before a crow had landed in the middle of Sun Rock Retreat and left a withered note for the Pandaren. Had Naeemh been right? For-Dan was handed the note by an attentive guard and opened it carefully. They were indeed asking for ransom and a heavy one at that. The Grimtotem had captured Ren-la and were asking for all of the Falling Leaf Caravan's supplies. They, admittedly, had a lot. Even though Pandaren ate and drank a lot, they were good at gathering and giving back to nature. Nothing went to waste and nothing was ever spoiled.

For-Dan gathered the Falling Leaf Pandaren, at least those who could fight and were up to the task. Jaddok, Sun-zin and Master Zun. Plus Naeemh. They were going in.  

“I suspect these Grimtotem expect us to come wandering in with weapons armed or concealed. I doubt they had much experience with monks. They'll get an unpleasant surprise when we knock their heads of their shoulders!” he growled.

A plan was put together. It was risky. They would not take any actual supplies. Instead, they packed up a single turtle with blankets and empty containers. They made it look full. The Grimtotem would be none the wiser until it was too late, or at least until Ren-la was within their grasp and they could fight their way out. Hopefully they could just set the turtle loose on them and run.
Ren-la was the worst student For-Dan had ever taught. But he wasn't about to let her die. She was good at washing clothes, at least.

The group made haste down the mountain and within an hour they had reached the Grimtotem village. Today, it seemed like fate was on their side. The Horde forces stationed at Malaka'jin had, for some reason, engaged with the Grimtotem. The entire village was in chaos. Grimtotem berserkers met two-to-three orcs alone and managed to stand victorious as sorcerers and shaman hurled lightning and shadow bolts alike at Troll druids and priests. These Tauren were something to behold in battle. For-dan was not afraid, though, he'd fought off Yaungol many times and the Yaungol loved fire. What was a little lightning?

The group stopped on a hill looking down on the camp.

“Looks like we won't need the turtle,” said Sun-zin in relief, hopping down and tying her beloved turtle to a tree. She whispered some words of encouragement to the creature and it seemed calm, retreating slowly into its shell and lying behind a bush.

“This will serve as a great distraction!” grinned Master Zun. Naeemh explained that the Grimtotem's raids often brought them into conflict with Horde scouts and there was a permanent unit stationed at Malaka'jin for just this reason.

“Indeed! Let's make this fast,” demanded For-Dan, “they won't know what hit them.”

The group launched down the hill, running past groups of Horde soldiers and Grimtotem alike. Some were engaged in battle. Some noticed the Pandaren and stared in confusion, not really knowing how to act. A few Grimtotem, caught in shock, were hit accurately and brutally in the face by For-Dan and Zun as they flew around elegantly, showing off their martial arts skills. Jaddok charged into a smaller camp on the southern hill of the village and sliced a bewildered Shaman in two with his sword. The Pandaren grimaced, but this was necessary. Ren-la had to be rescued!

Jaddok's show of brutality caught the wrong kind of attention. Now realising the Pandaren were attacking them, some Grimtotem broke off from their assault on the Horde forces and stormed the Pandaren. They would not tolerate this intrusion.

A Grimtotem shaman grabbed a raider from a nearby tent and the two charged at the group, who were trying to gracefully avoid as many of the black-furred Tauren as possible. The shaman opened fire first, catching them all off guard with a powerful strike of chain-lightning, connecting first with Sun-zin and boucning against the others, knocking all except Naeemh flying backwards, hitting the ground with a thump. Naeemh had deflected the blow by conjuring a shield of light. She briefly looked back, releasing a gasp, before bringing up her staff to deflect a blow from the raider's two-handed sword.

Although technically elderly, Master Zun was still a capable fighter. He pushed himself up and launched a flying kick at the shaman, sending him crashing through the side of a tent and impaling him on a weapons-rack. For-Dan looked impressed, although the shaman had managed to encase him a cocoon of earth, preventing him from moving. Zun appeared before him in a flash and shattered it with a single blow.

Jaddok was now trying to help Naeemh against the Grimtotem raider, although all he could do against the brute's attacks was parry and dodge while Naeemh attempted to slap him with smite spells.

Sun-zin called out to the group as a sorcerer and berserker started charging towards them, the former hurling balls of fire at the Pandaren. Sun-zin met the fireballs with her own lightning bolts, dissolving them in an explosion mid-air. She did not notice the berserker.  Bringing her gaze down from the explosions, she had no time to react to the berserker's onslaught, slashing at her and punching her before finally whacking her to the side with the hilt of one of his enormous swords.

The berserker continued on its rampage towards Jaddok and Naeemh. Zun dived in to intervene and managed to knock out the raider, buying Jaddok time to avoid the berserker's attack. For-Dan attempted to heal Sun-zin with a cloud of renewing mist before hurling a ball of chi at the sorcerer, who tried to cast another fireball. Naeemh got around the berserker, now dancing around both Zun and Jaddok, and helped For-Dan get Sun-zin to her feet.

“Sun-zin, can you help Master Zun and Jaddok? We cannot get bogged down here if we are to find Ren-la.”

Sun-zin got up slowly and nodded with one eye closed, grimacing slightly from the pain. Naeemh and For-Dan left her and ran further into the village, diving around smaller skirmishes and knocking out the sporadic, unaware Grimtotem from behind.

They had to find Ren-la and fast...

The Wanderers: The End of Ren-la's Journey

The berserker swung madly at Zun, drawing blood on his arm and cheek and knocking him to the ground with a hoof to the face. Jaddok hazarded a few strikes as well but had his shirt sliced off in a close-blow which still drew blood across his chest. The berserker revelled in the combat, a huge grin on his mad face, until Sun-zin came running in from behind and zapped the life out of him with a bolt of lightning.

The three got to their feet. They saw Naeemh and For-Dan jumping down a bank and heading deeper into the village. They were coming as well... but another Grimtotem, bigger than the rest, set upon them. This one was a brute indeed.

For-Dan and Naeemh found the main long-house of the Grimtotem. It was defended by a couple of guards and two sorcerers, the latter of which noticed the them approaching and rushed towards them. For-Dan would not let anyone come in between them and Ren-la now. He landed between their bodies in a flurrish. Naeemh chuckled. She'd seen old Zun do the same. She wasn't surprised by old Pandaren monks anymore.

“Master Zun! We could use your help...” called For-Dan.

Master Zun, Sun-zin and Jaddok threw themselves at the Grimtotem brute. He was colossal. Zun put himself in harm's way to protect the others but was swiped aside by the mighty Tauren. Jaddok and Sun-zin leaped into action and sliced and punched at the giant, using his size against him. They ducked under his legs and, slicing at his calves and giving him a lightning-fused punch to the lower back. Eventually he fell to his knees and Zun got up to end it with an uppercut.

The group reunited in front of the long-house and called out for Ren-la. A tauren, even bigger than the brute, stomped out. His armour was thick and he bore two giant axes in both hands and he looked pissed. Eyeing the Pandaren up and down and looking back to Ren-la, tied up in his hut, he spoke.

“You dare invade my camp at this moment? An act of cowardice!  And you dare arrive with no bargain? Unfortunate for your friend here. I will take great satisfaction in ending your lives!”

In his rage, he swiped his axes in a wide cleave at Sun-zin, Zun and Jaddok who were moving in to engage in hand-to-hand.  Jaddok took a hit, holding up his shield to block. The force of the Tauren's attack smashed the shield in two and he fell backwards, landing on his behind. The Grimtotem siezed the opportunity, kicking Sun-zin down and knocking Zun aside with the back of his hand, rushing towards Jaddok. The Pandaren could barely deflect the ferocious attacks with his sword and was grievously wounded. Naeemh called upon a blessing of An'she and hurled a ball of energy at the Grimtotem, making him stumble, so she could get to Jaddok, now lying, grasping a deep wound on his stomach.

“Nurse! Help Jaddok!” bellowed For-Dan, now being cornered by two of the Chieftain's reinforcements. He parried and waltzed around them, avoiding most of their blows. Sun-zin got up and assisted him, hurling a bolt of lightning at one.

Naeemh dragged Jaddok out of the fray as Zun attempted to distract the cheiftain. He dodged almost effortlessly around the Tauren's attacks. He managed to distract him long enough for Sun-zin to charge up her fists with electricity and hurl herself at him from the side. This time, it was the Grimtotem who was not quick enough to react, as she rammed into him and then finished him off with an impressive uppercut, hurling him backwards, twisting into a heap at the back of his own long-house.

“Quickly!” Master Zun snapped, sending Sun-zin an odd look, clearly impressed with his student. For-Dan had a smirk on his face. It was always heart-warming to see people progress with their training. Naeemh helped Jaddok up and they quickly untied Ren-la and made haste out of the village towards where Sun-zin had left her turtle.

The battle was still on-going outside. Horde and Grimtotem corpses littered the village. By the state of the village, some huts burnt down and others obviously recently erected, it looked although this conflict stopped and started again very often.

The group thought they saw the Grimtotem Chieftain crawl out of his longhouse as they ran... hopefully not. They made it to the turtle and left the fighting to the Horde soldiers...



Back at Sun Rock Retreat, after a few days of rest, Jaddok and For-Dan had time to sit with Ren-la and speak with her. She had never wished for anything like this to happen. She only wanted to help to the best of her ability... She had never been a fighter. She had helped all she could with household chores and the likes but now, she had decided, she wished to return home to Pandaria. At least there she would be safe. She had already packed her things and Naeemh was waiting by the wind rider to go with her to Orgrimmar, from there she would take a boat back to the Jade Forest. With sad looks on their faces, the Pandaren embraced Ren-la one by one and wished her farewell.

Nobody knew what Ren-la would do back in the Jade Forest, but this... was the end of her journey with Falling Leaf Caravan...

The Wanderers: The Jadeshaper

After the ordeal with the Grimtotem in Stonetalon, Master Zun and For-Dan had decided it was time to move on. The Falling Leaf Pandaren had enjoyed the tranquillity of Sun Rock Retreat, but they knew they had to keep going. It was their plan to head through Ashenvale and north and try to find these “furbolg” people they kept getting compared to. Although Naeemh was insisting these creatures were violent, the group had also heard some of them weren't. Tianyu had watched them for a few weeks and had merely said that they seemed primitive, but if they were friendly or could offer them shelter for a long period, it would be worth it, surely?

The caravan was packed and the Pandaren headed down the winding path of Stonetalon Mountains. Some of them would miss this place; had it not been for the scars of war and Goblin resource gathering, it would have been a perfect place to settle. Maybe in the future, but not now. The tall trees, the high mountains, the eagles, the rams... it reminded some of the Pandaren of Shen-zin Su and others... of Kun-Lai.

As the group neared the great valley, once filled with trees and natural beauty, it was now a warzone between Gnome and Goblin engineers and their harvesting machines, though the latter half was clearly winning with the assistance of the Orcs, they saw what looked like a make-shift camp just off the path.

The group got closer. There was a small camp indeed. It was littered with a pair of mining-picks, food and... one panicked Pandaren, pacing around his camp.  The Falling Leaf caravan came suddenly from the woods and into the open space surrounding the Pandaren's camp. He looked up in shock. For-Dan and Master Zun exchanged glances. Another Pandaren?

“H-Hello there,” For-Dan attempted

“We are the Falling Leaf Caravan, wanderers of the land of Kalimdor,” elaborated Zun.

The Pandaren could barely believe his eyes. He had been pacing around in circles and biting his nails for hours in a panic. He didn't know what to do or what to say. Were his prayers being answered?

“I-I, uh, I am Xi-Ying Jadeshaper!” he managed, still flurrying around a bit, his eyes darting between the many Pandaren before him.

“Do you need help?” asked For-Dan, noticing his odd behaviour. It had put Zun off, and he was motioning casually for the other Pandaren to keep their distance. Although, naturally, they were pleased to find another of their kind, a little caution wouldn't hurt.

“I've... I've been here for almost a day. I ran from Ashenvale, looking for help! Yes, yes! I need help,” Xi-Ying stuttered, clearly nervous. “My-my friend has been captured... we were examining some Night Elf ruins for research and... and... furbolg! We were attacked by furbolg! They, they took her...”

The Pandaren seemed nervous. They looked between each other. The Furbolg were a sort of light at the end of the tunnel; one of the reasons behind their wandering. Could they be evil?

“I told you lot the furbolg were trouble!” blurted out Naeemh, not reassuringly at all. She saw the Pandaren start to withdraw and grow nervous and added “... they're not all bad, I'm sure,” with an almost-convincing smile. It seemed to do the trick for now.

Master Zun and For-Dan sat and spoke with the newcomer for some time and got as much as the story as they could. The other Pandaren listened in and got to know this “Jadeshaper.” He was a miner and jewel crafter. He had come to Azeroth to find new gems to work with instead of just jade! He had teamed up with another, Hui-li, to explore and find new things  but they had wandered too far into furbolg territory, the Foulweald tribe, and they had taken her. They seemed to have been mesmerized by her.

“We are heading towards Ashenvale,” said For-Dan, “You are welcome to join us. We will find your friend.”

Xi-Ying's panic seemed to subside. He smiled and took a few deep breaths.

“Th-thank you...”

“Gather your things, then. We're leaving.”

The Wanderers: Flood!

The Falling Leaf caravan hit the valley that linked Ashenvale with Stonetalon Mountains. A valley once full of resources, now being plundered by the Orcs and Goblins. Gnomes were there as well, fighting with the Goblins, whether other resources or not was unknown to the Pandaren. Naeemh explained that it had been beautiful not so long ago and the Pandaren believed her, knowing full well the greed of the Goblins.

Apart from the violent bickering of Gnome and Goblin engineers, the valley seemed serene enough... but unknown to the caravan, there were greater plans afoot...

On a platform across the front of the dam at the far end of the valley, a group of Goblin engineers argued and complained about the Alliance presence in the valley. The Gnomes had brought some machines of their own to combat the Goblins and their harvesters and the Night Elves often got involved. Violently.

“Those damn gnomes are getting all up in our face down there!” yelled one of the goblins, incredibly annoyed. The group continued to bicker, no voice really booming above the others.

“See the size of that shredding machine they got down there?! How do they get such a budget?!” another complained.

“Wait! Wait!” one goblin attempted, his voice screeching higher than the others, “I got a plan to get rid of 'em!” Suddenly the group silenced and listened to the one goblin, “Tell you wha-- hey! You guys listening?! We flood the valley! Open this dam up. We can always pump the water back up later! Ha ha!”

The goblins burst into almost maniacal laughter. The problems the flooding might cause completely oblivious to them at this point.

“Great idea! Those gnomes are even shorter than we are – and they ain't island folk! They'll drown for sure!”

“Hahaha! Alright, this will be great! Let's get things ready. We've planned for this right? The Overseer will be pleased!”

The goblins scattered, some of the still laughing a self-satisfied laugh. They went about the platform around the dam and fiddled with switches and levers,  not knowing a Pandaren caravan was making its way through the valley. Though questionable if they would even care at all – it seems they had planned for such a thing before. The Horde camps were all conveniently stationed on hills.


Meanwhile, the Pandaren continued on their way towards Ashenvale, somewhat put off by the mass-harvesting of a clearly once-beautiful valley. They were glad the Tauren didn't behave this way and, like them, had respect for the land. Sometimes it was difficult for the Pandaren to understand the relationship the Tauren had with the Orcs, and now, Goblins. It didn't seem to fit together. Or maybe it was all just because of Garrosh? Their experience of the Horde had been ruined by Garrosh, hopefully Vol'jin would do a better job.

Eventually, they came to a vast clearing. The dam could be seen, as well as the mountains and great forest of Ashenvale in the distance. The Pandaren smiled, at least, at what was coming. However, their chatter was abruptly interrupted by an intensely loud wailing alarm.

“Wh-what is that?!” yelled Baji. Sun-zin and Baiyao covered their ears. Jaddok looked around and drew his sword cautiously.

“Nothing good!” exclaimed Naeemh, knowing damn well goblins plus alarm equals something bad. She pointed a bit into the distance and her mouth fell open, managing only an  “Uh!” sound.

Suddenly a great tide of goblins and their machines was racing towards the caravan. They didn't care who these Pandaren were, all they knew was that they were in the way! The Pandaren were pushed, shoved and knocked to the ground. Some off their mounts who, in the commotion and sound of the alarm, panicked and fled. Tianyu, Kuyuki and Baiyao lost their mounts, all three packed with vital supplies, but there was no time to go after them.

“What's happening?!” asked Kuyuki, kicking goblins away as she tried to get up. Eventually the wave passed and Naeemh was stood pointing at the distant dam.

“Pretty sure that's not supposed to be happening,” she said, water clearly gushing from the dam in the distance and starting to fill the far-end of the valley. The Night Elves and Gnomes had caught on as well and were making their way uphill. “We have to get out of here!”

The Pandaren had faith in Naeemh. She was acting as a guide of sorts as she knew the lands of Kalimdor far better than any of them. They listened immediately and started running towards Krom'gar fortress, the sound of the water echoing across the valley in an intimidating, constant pounding. Struggling to keep order and stay together, they eventually made it to Krom'gar and Master Zun and Naeemh managed to convince the guards to give them refuge at the military camp... however, the goblins had already started pushing logs down the hill in order to dam the incoming tide, and the Pandaren couldn't get close!

“What now, Master For-Dan?!” begged Jaddok, a look of terror in his eyes.

“I suggest we LEG IT!” added Naeemh, already hefting up her dress from her ankles and making a haphazard dash towards the hill leading to Ashenvale. “The ground gets higher up there!”

The Pandaren followed, the water quickly filling the valley as the lumber mill in the centre slowly slipping out of view as it was eaten by the waves. Paced jogs became a sprint as the sight of Ashenvale grew closer and closer. Just one bridge separated them from the night elf homeland but as the group ran across it, a gush of water hit the bridge, sending some of the Pandaren flying into the water. They helped each other out as the river swelled, making it hard to keep their heads above the water, and hurried as fast as they could.

“Almost there!” they bellowed as they climbed a steep path towards the end of the valley, water swirling around their feet. Wet with sweat and water, the group made it to the top, and only a few minutes went by before the majority of the valley had succumb to the water.

Sun-zin and Jaddok's turtles had followed them, swimming happily behind them. It had been a while since they had been able to swim, after all. Although stressed out and exhausted, the sight of the turtles brought a smile to their faces. That, and the thought of actually having some food tonight as they made camp in the great forest...

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"The Pandaren reach Ashenvale."

The Wanderers: The Furbolg Queen?!

The Falling Leaf caravan had made camp in the forest of Ashenvale for a few days. They had even befriended a single furbolg, Krolg, having fled his tribe as one of the few remaining furbolg who hadn't gone mad from the corruption of the land. The kind-hearted creature offered his “pandaren kin” shelter in his log-house and was happy for the company.

Xi-Ying had joined them only a few days earlier, having been separated from his colleague, Hui-li, who was captured by furbolg. Krolg had seen her whilst foraging for food at the Foulweald tribe's village. And today, the Pandaren were going to get her back.

The great flora of Ashenvale proved a great asset to the Pandaren, being able to easily sneak to the Foulweald's home, Greenpaw village. In the centre of the camp, a Pandaren female stood, chained to two large totems on either side. A few shaman danced around her and the chants could be heard from afar.

“I'm surprised they're not worshipping her” said Naeemh, though it was clear the furbolg had never seen a Pandaren before. Perhaps because of this curiosity, she was luckily still alive.

The Falling Leaves engaged the furbolg. They were unwilling to listen to reason and give up Hui-li. The head shaman seemingly obsessed with her, calling her “beautiful.” Perhaps she was being worshipped? A pack of furbolg warriors set upon the group at the shaman's command as he used the totems to drain her energy and launch balls of fire at the invaders!

Sun-zin and Jaddok ran in while the others held them off, the two hacked and slashed at the totem to no avail. It was just too big and too heavy. Sun-zin, annoyed, called on the spirits and thrust her fist into the side of the totem, charged with the spirit of air. The totem shook and began to fall... onto Jaddok! Clad in plate armour, the chubby Pandaren couldn't get away fast enough and was caught under the totem. But at least they bought Hui-li some time.

The shaman panicked and attempted to set the whole village on fire to get rid of them! None would touch his “beautiful queen.” The furbolg's odd language made the other Pandaren uncomfortable but they were determined to rescue Xi-Ying's friend. The shaman failed as Hui-li proved resilient, able to withstand the remaining totem's draining of her magic.

While the others were chasing off the remaining furbolg, Sun-zin chanced a rescue of Jaddok from under the totem. Siezing the opportunity, a lone furbolg warrior drove his spear through Sun-zin's waist. Her eyes shot open to the pain and she fell instantly to the ground. The others noticed and looked on in horror.

Baji, startled and overcome with anxiety, managed to take down the remaining warrior with a single arrow as Naeemh rushed to the young girl's body. A flush of light filled the priestess and she quickly sealed Sun-zin's wounds. Baji came to her aid as well, wrapping a bandage around her as Naeemh held on and filled her with light. They were quick and they were lucky.

The remaining Pandaren frightened the shaman leader enough to let them take Hui-li away, and they did, quickly. Heaving the wounded Sun-zin onto a turtle and Xi-Ying grabbing his colleague, the group rushed back to Krolg's camp, not wanting to entice any remaining furbolg.

Baji lay Sun-zin down at the camp and Naeemh held a close eye on the wound, holding her hands over the bloodied bandage. Sun-zin seemed to stir awake, if only briefly, to utter the words...

“Don't tell my brother...”

The Wanderers: Whisperwind Grove

Master Zun sat meditating upon the roof of one of the huts. His agility at his age was surprising to most. Master For-Dan came up from behind.

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"Master Zun meditates in strange places..."

“Master Zun,” he started. The old Pandaren opened one eye and looked behind him. He nodded in acknowledgement. “Perhaps... we could speak of your outburst?”

Master Zun was suddenly unable to concentrate on meditating and stood up. He nodded at For-Dan and the two walked off to discuss the matter in private. The Pandaren from Shen-zin Su had been furious at Zun for ignoring their concerns, seeming to not care at all, and For-Dan was still adjusting to not being alone. He had also been aloof and uninterested, though these days he seemed more interested in their problems that Zun did.

“Is something the matter, Zun?” he asked plainly.

“I feel like I have kept up this charade long enough,” he groaned in response, “I’m not used to being around the same people for so long. At least back in Mulgore I had... time to myself. I could come and go as I please but now... now I am stuck here with these Pandaren who complain about the slightest thing! They had not lived through the harsh world we have, For-Dan. They think a night in this dank forest would kill them... but I know better.”

For-Dan nodded slowly. He understood where Zun was coming from but, even he, was starting to realise the importance of a little sympathy. For-Dan had been the tough instructor back on Thunder Bluff and had very few fans but after spending almost a year with these Pandaren, he had come to... care for them. And he realised after their many rants and protests that he, not them, had much to learn. For-Dan had changed. He was being more social and... thinking before speaking. It had become a requirement as he was suddenly burdened with “second in command” of the Falling Leaf Caravan.

“Master Zun. They are young and have, indeed, not walked down the same dark paths we have. They haven’t witnessed what we have but... we are in this together and they look to us for guidance. I have come to understand that... and you always seemed like the reasonable one, how is it this is lost on you?” For-Dan ended his serious comment light-heartedly. He had come to realise that such methods worked well on the elderly Pandaren.

Master Zun seemed thoughtful for a minute and chuckled.

“Perhaps you are right. But to an old Pandaren like me... it is although they make mountains out of virmen-mounds. They complain about not having a soft bed or a seventh meal...”

“I believe in your wisdom, friend,” For-Dan’s words surprising Zun, “I think you would defend these Pandaren to the death if you had to. Such is your training... but...” he stopped suddenly.

“What is it?” Zun probed.

“Perhaps someone else should lead the caravan in my stead. I am certain you can handle the training aspects and the defence, but perhaps these... Wanderers need a voice of their own.”

The two Pandaren fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. It was something to consider. At least in the future.

“Let us get out of this forest and find ourselves a home, first. Then we can talk about such things,” smiled Zun, patting For-Dan on the shoulder.

The two nodded at each other and walked back to the front of the encampment. Here, the Pandaren were standing around and joking with one another, turtles fully packed. They all had good spirits and it brought a smile to Zun’s face. For the most part, he was happy to be around them.

“Today we will be heading to the edge of the forest. I’m told there is a Druid camp further north and that the Timbermaw live only two days away,” stated Zun. The Pandaren’s spirits rose further, grins on their faces and laughter amongst them. Would these Timbermaw be able to offer them a new home? That had been the plan. For-Dan had been convinced by Tianyu and Baji it was the right path to try... and it had taken some time to convince Zun of that as well. And now here they were.

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"The Pandaren move on through Felwood."

The group marched north. Naeemh continued her stories, though she tried to remain more positive this time. She spoke of the defeat of the Burning Legion and that her father had seen some of the action. Zun discussed the Seven Burdens of Shaohao and the Pandaren probed them both with questions. They hardly seemed to notice the state of the forest!

Eventually they came to their next destination: Whisperwind Grove. It was a sight to behold. Here, the Druids had actually managed to heal the land and the forest was starting to bloom again. The Pandaren’s hearts filled with joy. There was hope, after all.

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"Whisperwind Grove."

For-Dan and Zun spoke with the Arch Druid and asked his permission to stay a few days, if necessary. He granted their request but was unable to provide supplies. He had a lot of mouths to feed himself and Felwood wasn’t exactly prime farmland. Supplies were hard to come by. The Arch Druid had only one demand: Do not touch the Moonwell!

The mention of supplies got the two Masters thinking, however. It had been quite some time since they had checked their supplies and they had lost two of their turtles in the flood in Stonetalon Mountains. They had been careful.... right? The Pandaren gathered around and counted what they had left.

It was not looking great, but they had enough to last... for now...

The Wanderers: The Promised Land

The day had come. Timbermaw Hold was only half a day away. Although supplies were running low, they were sure their “furbolg cousins” would be generous and help them. Perhaps, even, offer them a home within their... the Pandaren didn’t actually know how the furbolg lived. A castle? A village? Each of them had their own idea and fantasy about what they were about to walk into.

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"Timbermaw Hold."

“Is this it?” asked Baji, peering up at the bear head carved into the side of the mountain. Finally they had arrived at Timbermaw Hold. They had met other furbolg in Ashenvale and that was not a pleasant experience, save for Krolg. This time, they had higher expectations.  The Pandaren had been compared to the furbolg since their arrival on the continent. They could well have been a distant cousin of the Pandaren race and this was their hope... so that they could finally find somewhere to call home.

Their faces revealed their obvious disappointment. The Timbermaw seemed just as primitive as the other furbolg tribes they had encountered on the way through Ashenvale and Felwood. Did they really live in a hole in the ground?

The Timbermaw were suspicious of strangers and rightfully so since their lands were tainted by the invasion so many years ago and still left its scars.  The Falling Leaf caravan was met, not by a kind and welcoming embrace that they originally had expected, like long-lost siblings finally reunited but instead, with cold, furrowed brows and low growls.

“Greetings honoured Timbermaw,” began Zun. He bowed low out of respect and the others followed his example. The looks of the Timbermaw grew more perplexed. “We have travelled far to meet you and the Timbermaw people...”

The furbolg at the entrance exchanged glances and shuffled uncomfortably. Zun felt it as well, but continued., “... we seek refuge amongst you in these troubling times...” The old monk noticed the stares getting colder mid-sentence and instantly regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. Was this a mistake?

The leader of the furbolg guards waddled forward. “May pass...” he growled, “... but not stay.” He turned away and waved his staff in the direction of the bear head-entrance. Zun looked behind at the exhausted Pandaren. They were cold, wet and dirty. The caravan had few supplies left. He knew turning around was pointless and protesting the furbolgs' stubbornness just as much.

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"Doubt."

They moved through the hold, their faces twisting in a mixture of disgust, embarrassment and fear that they might have to call this place – this cold, dark and dank hole in the ground - their home.

It became more clear than ever... that this was a mistake.

The Wanderers: Into the Cold

Sun-zin, the caravan's only shaman, had managed to convince the leader of the Timbermaw, who revered the elements and the land, to allow the Pandaren to stay within the hold for a few days and get some rest and shelter from the cold. They had, grudgingly, agreed. But now the Pandaren had definitely overstayed their welcome.

“Where do we go from here?” asked Jaddok.

Tianyu and Baji had especially sorry looks on their faces. It was them who had heard of the Timbermaw and had convinced Master For-Dan to lead the caravan north instead of south. What were they to do now?

“We will head into Winterspring,” declared For-Dan, “there is a goblin town there I'm told. We can stay there as long as we have gold in our pockets or so long we are willing to work.”

That was For-Dan's best attempt to cheer up the Pandaren and give them a glimmer of hope. It hadn't worked. Sadly, they began packing up their belongings and headed out into the cold vale of Winterspring. It was beautiful, but they didn't have time to appreciate it. Even the Pandaren had to cover themselves up from the cold.

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"Heading out."

It took a few hours but the road to Everlook was straight and free of nasty surprises. Even bad guys don't like the cold, it seems. They bought themselves a room at the inn and there, they huddled together in this harsh winterland.

A fierce blizzard was not long behind them and engulfed the town the next day. The Pandaren did their part in the routine of Everlook in such weather conditions. They endured the storm and gathered firewood. They cooked and they cleaned. When the storm had finally settled, they visited the hotsprings in the heart of the Winterspring and got their first hot bath in the longest of times...  and a good day of relaxation.

But even the steam of the springs couldn't clear their mind of the lurking question: Where do we go from here?

The Wanderers: Orgrimmar Calls

The Pandaren had called Everlook home for almost two weeks now and the goblins, surprisingly, turned out to be a lot friendlier than their furbolg “cousins” had been. During these two weeks, though it had occurred a few months earlier, Garrosh Hellscream had escaped from his trial at the Temple of the White Tiger in Pandaria. The Pandaren, wandering the roads, had not discovered this terrifying news until they arrived in Everlook. For-Dan and Zun had known since the Horde Gathering in Bilgewater not long after his escape but had chosen not to reveal it to them. They needed hope, not despair, as they struggled to find a place to settle down.

The news had settled in on them now. And they were worried.

Master For-Dan had long begun to notice the lost looks and feelings of discontent amongst the caravan's members, especially towards their leader, Master Zun. It was ironic how their roles had reversed after they had left Mulgore; For-Dan going from hated to... well, “liked” may be taking it a bit too far, and Master Zun from a kind and praised teaching master to an unsympathetic brute.
A thought had lingered in For-Dan's mind for a while now. Perhaps it was time for a change... and now seemed like as good a time as ever.

The Pandaren gathered for dinner and enjoyed a Pandaren-inspired meal made from local goblin and night elven ingredients. You couldn't exactly find carrots or fish in Winterspring. At least not easily... They talked and joked amongst themselves and Naeemh entertained them with one of her random rambling tales.

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"For-Dan brings up the matter of leadership."

“May I have your attention?” bellowed For-Dan, suddenly standing up in the midst of a lull in the conversation. “You all know I am not one for small talk, so I will get right to the point... I have decided to give up my position of leadership amongst the Falling Leaf.”

There was an odd silence. Some gazes fell to Zun, who simply nodded. He already knew this was going to happen. They had discussed it.

“I have come to realise that you all need someone who understands you and your needs, especially those of you from Shen-zin Su, and that two old men from Pandaria might not always have your best interests at heart or comprehend your point of view and feelings. I would ask you all now to think hard on who would best embody the spirit of this caravan, this group we call The Falling Leaf. Somebody who will always do what is best, what is right, for us... for this family that we have become.”

The Pandaren looked shocked. They stirred awkwardly in their seats, looking between each other and whispering. Zun sat in silence, his arms folded. For-Dan remained standing for the long duration of their internal discussions, his uncomfortable, though supposedly sincere, smile plastered on his face.

“I vote for Baji!” yelled Tianyu joyously, rising from his seat. Another tense silence filled the room. The sound of thinking was deafening.

“I second that,” said Sun-zin, smiling at a frozen figure of Baji.

“A great choice,” added Jaddok.

“Indeed!” answered For-Dan, “Actually, I can think of no-one who better encompasses the things we believe in and hold dear. A true follower of the Pandaren ways. A Pandaren who only thinks of others. I hope, indeed, his kind heart can light up these dark times and perhaps change a few of the stubborn minds Zun and I have met...”

Master Zun nodded. “No easy task,” he said with a smirk.

“Indeed!” bellowed For-Dan once again, “But I am sure he will be able to bring a more positive energy to any meeting he attends,” he grinned.

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"For Baji!"

“Oh... oh my,” whelped Baji, stunned. He rose, shakily, and moved to Master For-Dan's side.

“Well then, 'Master Baji',” For-Dan started. Baji turned red. “What would be your first order, as leader of the Falling Leaf?”

Baji twiddled his beard thoughtfully for a moment. He raised his head suddenly and met the gazes of his companions. He spoke, in Pandaren, “Oh my... Let us return to Orgrimmar! Let us bring honour to the Huojin name and contribute to the Horde! The Tauren took us in when we had nothing... and now, instead of running away, we should stand and take part! Orgrimmar is no longer full of nasty Kor'kron bullies but friends. Let us find a way to heal the wounds between us and the Tauren and return to Mulgore, to our friends... Let's find Garrosh Hellscream and bring him to justice!”

The Pandaren looked even more startled. But they believed in Baji and his words. They all nodded and tightened their fists.

Zun tilted back his straw hat and spoke, “I have a few ideas about that...”

The Dawnchasers: The Meeting of Elders

As the Pandaren of the Falling Leaf began to trickle back into Mulgore, some of them remaining in Orgrimmar, Matron Che'nawa took the opportunity to arrange a meeting with the Tauren Elders once more. It had been their decision to ask them to leave, seeing them as trouble makers, but enough time had gone by so that it was no longer a fresh wound. Huojin ambassadors had pressured the elders from Orgrimmar as new evidence suggesting the Huojin soldier, Raoi Stonestrike, had acted without the consent of any known official when he attacked the embassy “in the name of Huojin and the Horde.” He had also fled afterwards and never returned to his post.

Master Ju-sin was to accompany the Matron in this. She had turned up in Everlook and swore her allegiance to protect the Pandaren of the Falling Leaf, declaring her order, The Blooming Lotus, was disbanded and no longer needed to protect Pandaria. Instead, she would protect the heart of Pandaria – it's people. She insisted she was a good diplomat. She had, after all, stood between the Horde and the Alliance on several occasions.

On Elder's rise, they gathered. Aunty Riverwind of the Winterhoof, Ama'talo Grimtotem, Ral Stonehoof, Sura Wildmane stood to meet the Matron, who surprisingly, in Elder Istuul's absence, was given the vote of the Dawnstrider tribe.

“I suppose she's going to rattle on about those Pandaren again,” groaned Riverwind Winterhoof. Ama'talo had long tried to gain the old crone's favour. The Winterhoof had long had trouble with the Grimtotem tribe and he was eager to repair this rift. Aunty Riverwind, however, was not so interested and resisted every attempt.

“It's all she has gone on about for months,” responded Ama'talo. Riverwind scoffed at him.

“Greetings, Elders,” spoke Che'nawa, Ju-sin wandered by her side and also greeted the Elders in Taurahe. They didn't look impressed.

“I suppose this meeting will be in Orcish then?” groaned Riverwind, in Taurahe, not caring if Ju-sin understood or not.

“If that is not a problem,” smiled Che'nawa.

Che'nawa and Ju-sin began their plea. They informed the Elders that Raoi Stonestrike had acted alone and was a fanatic. The other Pandaren had nothing to do with it and only wanted to live in peace and help the Tauren. The Matron tugged on Ama'talo's heartstrings by comparing the Pandaren to his own people, the loyal Grimtotem who had remained on Thunder Bluff and struggled living a life of scorn and mistrust, asking if he would inflict that fate on the Pandaren as well.

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It worked.

Ju-sin declared that the Falling Leaves had sworn their loyalty to the Horde and believed in the Dawnchaser cause. They would do whatever it took to protect peace and preserve balance. To protect Kalimdor and the land. Just as the Shu'halo. She spoke of Master Zun's initiative to track down Garrosh Hellscream and bring him to justice... the mere thought of it sparked something in the Elders, who had seen many young ones of their respective tribes perish in the battles brought about by Garrosh and in the Siege of Orgrimmar.

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At last, they voted. Only the stubborn Riverwind Winterhoof voted no and stormed off. However, conditions were attached. The Pandaren were here on a trial basis and could live in Mulgore if they proved themselves trustworthy again...

Ju-sin offered something even better. She wanted to hunt down Raoi Stonestrike and punish him for his crimes and show that the Pandaren of the Falling Leaf were true of heart and loyal.

It was a good offer. And it was one the Elders accepted...

This leads the Path of Dawnchaser to the events of the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and the battle against the Iron Horde!

Plans for Warlords of Draenor

In-Character, the majority of the Falling Leaf Pandaren have chosen to bravely weather the Iron Storm and venture through the portal to finally contribute to the Horde and bring balance to Azeroth. It is by the prediction of the Shaman, Sun-zin, that it is of vital importance that the Pandaren do this. Their leader, Baji Teabelly, terrified, has begrudgingly accepted and will venture through with his comrades.

Some will remain behind, however, and maintain the Falling Leaf and safeguard their home in Mulgore and work with their close allies, the Tauren, particularly the Dawnchasers.

A small group of those Tauren following the Path of Dawnchaser will venture through the portal and attempt to bring it down under the leadership of Stralow Steelhorn and working closely with the Orcs of the Red Blade and Blood Elves of Ashal Anore.

Those Dawnchasers who have remained behind on Azeroth will work to remove the Iron Horde threat in the Blasted Lands, reinforce the defense of Kalimdor against their possible return and work to ensure the ceasefire between the Horde and the Alliance stays in tact...

Out-of-Character, we plan on following the story that unfolds on Draenor in-characterly as much as physically possible, including RP dungeons and (hopefully) raids.

We PvP a lot and plan to keep on doing so, including world PvP!

We will also have events focused around the characters who stayed behind on Azeroth!


What will happen on Draenor? What will happen to those left behind? Join us and find out!

((Shameless repost-bump!))

Against Iron

The Search for Garrosh Hellscream had come to a screeching halt. No real evidence had been found and now with word of an invasion from the portal, and having met agents of this "Iron Horde" within Blackrock Mountain, the Banners moved with haste towards the borders of the Blasted Lands. Stonard would be their base for the duration of the defense against this new, terrible threat and the united banners were determined to face it with equal ferocity.

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"The Banners gather in Stonard."

Nobody knew what these brown, well armoured orcs wanted but they were well armed, well trained and not backing down. Within seemingly no time at all, they had conquered the entirety of the Blasted Lands, demolished the Alliance and Horde defense and setup mining operations and amble fortifications. A plan would be needed, and a good one at that...

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"The Banner Leaders and tacticians make plans..."

Rargnasha Bloodmark was voted in as the leader of the campaign against the Iron Horde. Unfortunately, this caused a rift and opened old wounds amongst many and caused a split of the Banner's forces. The Falling Leaf, Dawnchasers, Ashal Anore, Painted Skulls and a few others decided it was better stick together and follow the Orcs of the Red Blade into combat.

The Flying Bolts, Shatterskull Marauders, Bloodwolves and other loose groups and mercenaries departed for Stranglethorn Vale. From there they would plan their own assault against the orcs and dubbed themselves the Ironbreakers. Although unfortunate, an attack from two fronts could possibly be to the Banner's advantage.

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"Rargnasha's plan."

Before the main assault, smaller groups maneuvered on the Iron Horde in secret, disrupting their mining operation and taking out some of their devastating artillery. This would pave the way for the Banners' assault on Orkil'lon and ensure they managed to gain a foothold in the Blasted Lands.

Once the stealth groups had completed their task, the Banners prepared their march on the Blasted Lands.

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"Moving in."

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"The aftermath."

The Iron Horde did not know what hit them! With their attention drawn to the Ironbreaker's assault on the beach, the stealth groups having sabotaged their artillery and mining operation, the Banners were successful in their reclamation of Okril'lon! Things were looking up and this iron was bending...

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"Victory Gathering."

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"Grogglefutz reports to Baji about the Ironbreaker's success."

Unfortunately, this victory was short lived. The Iron Horde soon turned its attention against Orkil'lon once more, calling in reinforcements and bombarding the town from the air. The Banners were unable to hold them off, having sent off smaller groups to fight the Ogres and smaller detachments of Iron Horde, creating an opening for reinforcements to move on Okril'lon...

The Banners retreated, with many wounded, back to Stonard. The roars of the Iron Horde echoed into the swamps as wolf riders chased and cut down stragglers... Suddenly, things weren't looking so good.

A barricade was formed at the border to the Swamp of Sorrows as the Iron Horde wished to keep out these invaders and focus on the Alliance and Ironbreakers attacking from the south. Artillery bombed the swamps occasionally, to remind the Banners of their failure and keep them at bay...

The Banners retreated to Stranglethorn Vale, far from the combat zone, and regrouped, getting some well-earned rest.

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"Chieftain Rargnasha blows the horn of war once more."

After a week of respite, the banners regrouped under Rargnasha's banner. New intel flooded in about the stability of the portal and it became horribly clear that the only way to stop the Iron Horde... was to destroy the portal from their side. He asked for volunteers to go through.

A large number of orcs stepped forward, for rumours of this world beyond the portal being Draenor seemed likely to be true. A chance to see their home again seemed appealing to many, as did an honourable death in combat. Elves, Trolls, Tauren and even Pandaren stepped forward, believing this to be the right thing to do.

Many Dawnchasers chose to remain behind and deal with the remains of the Iron Horde and re-enforce this side of the portal. The Pandaren of the Falling Leaf chose to go in great numbers, believing in some vision from one of their shaman that "restoring balance is of vital importance" and that this would forge the Pandaren a place within the Horde.

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"The Leaders enforce the importance of people staying behind as well as going through."

Abulos Sunwing was one of those to choose to remain behind, believing it may be possible to create a portal between worlds at some point and either rescue or assist those who possibly survived this "suicide mission."

A plan was formed.

Volunteers gathered.

An army, even.

The Banners would march on the Blasted Lands again... but this time, they weren't coming back.

Red and Black

Baji Teabelly was not a hero. He was not a fighter. He flunked out of the academy on the Wandering Isle and could barely hit a target with his bow. The only thing he was good at was animal handling and he had left his pets behind on Azeroth to keep them safe.

But here he was. Standing at the front line on a blood-stained wasteland, a few dozen Pandaren with their hopes in his hands... and he was completely clueless. He'd just sort of gone along with it all, really. Nothing on Shen-zin Su was ever nearly as dangerous as the things on Azeroth, so half the time he just assumed things weren't as bad as people made them out to be.

But often they were actually a lot worse.

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"The Falling Leaf and Dawnchaser volunteers."

A group of Red Blade Orcs stood bravely at the front. They were prepared and willing to give their lives. Tauren from the Dawnchasers dotted in between. Blood Elves, Trolls and even Forsaken, too. Heroes had come forth and volunteered their aid, their lives, to Thrall and that mage Baji couldn't tell was young or old, and this particular group had thrown themselves in with Chieftain Rargnasha.

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"Banners' Volunteers."

Then suddenly, Baji was chosen to help lead as well...

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"Oh my..."

Thank the Celestials Stralow was here to hide behind. Baji had also sat with him and the others all night and heard "the plan," and it seemed simple enough. Hopefully the others in the Horde Vanguard had their own Stralow to hide behind as he did.

Time seemed to behave strangely at this point. Things were ready. People were ready. Waiting... it was although time stood completely still but shot by in less than a blink all at the same time. Baji wasn't a lot of things but one thing he apparently was - was brave - whether by ignorance or stupidity is questionable, but either way... he wasn't going to let his friends, or the Falling Leaf, down.

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"Here we go..."

Bangs of cannon fire and orc battlecries filled the air. Smoke bloomed in the distance as the Horde and Alliance Vanguard began their assault. The ground rumbled terrifyingly as thousands of people charged at the same time.

The Pandaren looked on in bewilderment. Most of them had never experienced war before. Now they were here. They peered expectantly at Baji... this was it.

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"On the field."

"Let's go! For the Huojin, the Horde and the Falling Leaf!" he just managed through trembling lips and teary eyes.

It seemed to go well. The Orcs and Tauren fought valiantly, knocking Iron Horde grunts around like rag dolls.  Baji managed to get a few shots in as well, between panic and worry, he chose to aim at Ogres rather than Orcs, their size making them considerably easier targets.

The push was a success and the vanguard came to the crater surrounding the portal.

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"Success... so far."

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"The Banners secure a tent from the Iron Horde and find a map of Draenor..."

It was easy to forget... this was the easy part. And only half the battle. Through that portal lay unknown numbers and horrors.

But, as usual, Baji just assumed it wasn't as bad as people made out...

Some were more enthusiastic than others about the appointment of the great Baji Teabelly.


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We are the Vanguard, unfortunately.

Blood, bodies and weapons lay everywhere. The portal was almost clear and people were already starting to race up the stairs towards the portal and into the world of the Iron Horde, kicking a few grunts down as they went.

This was it.

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"Through the portal!"

Tianyu grabbed Baji's hand through the crowd.

"We're with you!"

Baji hadn't seen any of his friends fall. But then again, he couldn't find them all through the crowds either. There wasn't enough time to think about it or even turn around to look. A blink of an eye went by and Baji's grip on Tianyu's hand broke. There was a push towards the portal. A tide of Horde and Alliance were pushing their way up the stairs and there was nothing anyone could do to fight against it, whether they wanted to or not.

The portal loomed high above the little Pandaren. He looked up as bodies shoved him forward.

He held his breath.



He came through on the other side. His feet touched the cold stone of the portal's floor and he looked up. Horde and Alliance stormed ahead to meet their orcish enemies. And there they were. In force. Thousands upon thousands of steel-clad orcs peering up at the portal. At Baji. At his friends. There were a lot more here than had been in the Blasted Lands... and significantly less Horde and Alliance to fight them off.

Baji paused. He gulped. The scene was about to set in his mind and terror about to befall him but... Sun-zin grabbed his arm.

"We don't die here, remember?" she said with clarity. There was no humour or comforting tone to what she said. To her, it was a matter of fact.

Baji watched more of the Horde and Alliance Vanguard charge past from the portal and meet with the orcs at the bottom of the stairs. They clashed. It was brutal. Baji attempted a few clumsy shots of his bow and saw his friends fighting around him. He could find most of them by this point but then... the portal behind him dissipated.

Yelling in Common, a language he understood even less of than Orcish, filled the air and the white-haired wizard and Thrall ran past with any adventurers and soldiers that had heard, and understood, what he had said.

"Come on!" yelled Master Zun, motioning for Baji to follow. The old Pandaren jogged ahead.

They rushed into the jungle. Many soldiers seemed to have been left behind and soon overwhelmed. Baji did not dare look back. The screaming of friend and foe... it all became impossible to determine between. The jungle got thicker. People kept running. And suddenly... Baji was alone.

He couldn't keep up. He wasn't used to wearing armour. He wasn't used to exercise or fighting. He wasn't used to war. He looked behind him and around him for anything, anyone... Zun? Baiyao? Avok? Iraha? Sun-zin? Had they all escaped?



A large arm protruded from a mass of wild plants and bushes and pulled the Pandaren in.

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"Lost in Tanaan."

"I believe young Sun-zin insisted that we do not die here," smiled Kerrok. A group of the others were hiding with him as well. Grogglefutz the goblin, Ju-sin, Tianyu, Stralow, some orcs he didn't know and a troll or two he didn't recognise.

A stampede of footsteps shook the ground violently and the sound of fighting, yelling and explosions was almost deafening.

"We're going to have to find our own way out of this jungle," the Tauren smiled again.

They peered cautiously between the leaves at their enemy. This was going to be difficult.

Master Zun rubbed his nose as he watched the peons work, slowly but surely the small camp with just a bonfire and a couple of tents started to look like a village, an encampment even. The wooden palisades wouldn't even stop the cold, chilling breeze of the Frostfire Ridge, he thought to himself. But it's better than nothing. So he took the last sip of his tea and stood up, holding his right hand on his chest, ignoring the pain.

With a grin he quickly thought of the previous events of Tanaan jungle and walked through the camp, thinking of his friends back in the jungle, hoping they would be alright. Well, at least the other Falling Leaves should be far enough from the nasty orcs by now, he thought to himself, as he recalled the moment when Baji and the rest had falled behind when running in the middle of the battlefield with Khadgar and Thrall.

Sneering, Zun looked at his broken wrist, ”Hmh, darn orcs” he muttered as he thought back the events at the small clearing, an arena in the middle of the jungle. Beating the swarming orcs up, until too many got in his way. He had learnt something that day, better not try and grab a Shatered Hand orc's weapon. Strange crafstmanship, Zun thought. And not just the weapons! Especially the Blackrock Clan's armour. Dark and spiky, enduring like stone, yet metal.

The orcs too, were strange and rare even, at least in Azeroth. There shouldn't be too many Mag'har orcs left. And the few Mag'har which actually are left in Garadar were allies to the Horde! The white ones too, with blades in place of their hands should've been gone aswell, right? Zun pondered. ”Shattered Hand”, they were called, he brought to mind.

Master Zun kept walking through the camp and stopped as he reached an icy cliff, taking a deep breath of fresh, cold air. He huffed and peered at the distance from the cliff, He stood right at the edge of it. He had heard that the area was swarming with other evil orcs, Thunderlord clan. Enemies to the frostwolves, and therefore to The Horde.

Luckily their camp wasn't too far from Wol'gor, a small Frostwolf encampment, in case anything would happen to their own settlement.


Then Zun's thoughts wandered back into the depths of the Tanaan Jungle and his friends. Baji, Kerrok, Stralow and all his other dear friends could be in danger! Zun knew they could take care of themselves. They wouldn't need Him...Hopefully.

Zun had hoped that the groups wouldn't get separated. Though they did. All he could do now is forge small alliances here in Frostfire Ridge and start building the Stronghold. The construction would just take some time.


Trying to convince himself that he was being helpful, Zun thought that he might've perhaps been the best choice for finding a good place for a camp and taking care of the stragetic dilemmas.

Zun shook his head a bit and spat down into the canyon below. He turned around, facing the camp now. Zun sighed once and walked into one of the huts of the camp, vanishing into the snowstorm as the chilly breeze was raging in the area...

Escape from Tanaan

Much of the Vanguard had been separated, either fleeing in opposite directions, dying or seizing one of the Iron Horde's ships. Baji and Kerrok had done their best to find and unite the stragglers. A few weeks had gone by and luck had definitely been on their side as they dodged Iron Horde patrols and outran their worg trackers. The jungle was thick and dense which worked both to their advantage and disadvantage - there were lots of places to hide but it was also quite easy to get lost.

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"Harsh reality."

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"Finding others."

The group was in agreement on one thing - they had to get out of Tanaan and as far away from the Iron Horde as possible. There wasn't much of a plan other than that. The Iron Horde had to be avoided and the only safe way seemed to be in following the footsteps of those who left with Thrall - the sea.

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"The plan."

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"Running through the jungle."

The group found the shores of Tanaan and saw mountains in the distance. They had an orc with them by the name of Siyahgosh and he became the "guide" of sorts, though his knowledge seemed to be blurred in with random unintelligible rhymes and mutterings.

"That way lies Gorgrond," Baji managed to interpret, for whatever it was worth, "A great wildland. Very dangerous."

It didn't seem to matter. Tanaan was dangerous. How much more dangerous could it be? Lacking a boat, however, the survivors were forced to swim the strait towards the cliffs and find a path up into this new area. With the help of a pair of Shaman, they hoped to calm the tides and swim safely across, using the enormous mushrooms as rest-stops on their swim.

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"Swimming into Gorgrond."

The group met almost instantaneously the vicious wilds the orc had spoke of. The plants were violent and agitated. They moved against anything that dared disturb it. They spewed clouds of pollen to irritate the passers-by.  Men made from bark lurked behind trees full of thorns and watched the group closely. This was certainly no more welcoming than Tanaan...

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"Entering Gorgrond."

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"Beautiful and Dangerous."

The trolls, members of the Painted Skulls, chanced ahead to scout. They found some old ruins that seemed safe enough, though large insects had also made the area their home. There would be no sleep for some - instead shifts to watch the camp for danger.

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"The camp."

These ruins would be their home for now and what lay ahead for them in Gorgrond was unknown. All they could do for now... was survive.

Updated the thread on behalf of Stralow and the Path of Dawnchaser!

Draenic Misadventures

Crashing into Frost

The Tauren following the Path of Dawnchaser and Falling Leaf Pandaren had been split up after the assault on the Dark Portal. Master Zun had gathered who he could and rushed along towards the Iron Horde docks with Thrall and the others and sailed to Frostfire Ridge. It had taken a long time. Assorted orcs, goblins, trolls and Frostwolves had jammed themselves into the Iron Horde juggernaut and crashed into the coast... but at least they were safe. For now.

The goblins wasted no time in planning and making blueprints as Blood Elf magi, with the help of Khadgar, managed to open a portal to allow reinforcements from Orgrimmar, before vanishing again. Clearly the Archmage had other important matters to attend to...

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"The Horde Garrison started off as small camps..."

Zun and the Pandaren, along with a couple of Dawnchasers, helped the Horde in clearing out their encampment, building and defending it against their newest enemy: the Bladespire Ogres. The group engaged in scouting missions and skirmishes against the Ogres while the peons continued building and Thrall left to speak with the Frostwolves...

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"Scouting the Ogre's forces..."

Meanwhile, in Gorgrond...

Baji Teabelly lead his group further north into Gorgrond, hoping to get as far away from Tanaan Jungle as possible. The group dodged many dangerous beasts and fought their way through a wildland hell-bent on killing them or turning them into mindless zombies. They had found themselves wandering Gorgrond for, what they haphazardly estimated, around two months...

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"Bleak Northern Gorgrond."

Further north, the group battled off an Iron Horde scout group and reprimanded a boat, enabling them to sail up the coast.

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"Baji plans how the boats should be used for maximum non-sinkage."

They stumbled upon a Laughing Skull Orc village and, after having rescued one of them from the Iron Horde, were granted a brief, unpleasant tour through their village and shown the way out.

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"Heart-warming."

What had they gotten themselves into?


The Garrison Grows

The peons had made a clearing, cut down trees and even gone as far as stealing resources from the nearby ogres... but finally, their work was paying off.

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"The Garrison takes shape."

As the time went by, the Horde settlement began to take shape, the group ventured further out into Frostfire, encountering survivors from the Orcs of the Red Blade and others.

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"Other survivors..."

Master Zun and the Tauren Nahate, along with the others, continued their hit-and-run attacks against the nearby ogres in hopes of stalling them from mounting a larger assault on the poorly defended garrison. Hopefully Thrall would return soon with Frostwolf support and the ogre threat could finally be dealt with...

The Grim Rail

Baji and the others were sent away from Laughing Skull village and sent towards a "Foundry." They had been hoping to avoid the Iron Horde in these northern wildlands but it seems their enemy's hold on Draenor was tighter than they expected.

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"Get lost..."

The Blackrock Foundry loomed over the landscape. It was not long before it was clearly visible. The smoke from its forges turned the sky a reddish black.

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"The Blackrock Foundry looms ahead"

The Orc they had previously saved from the Iron Horde, Killmaw the Laughing Skull, had been tricked into leading them to safety; through a mountain pass and around the foundry itself. He assured the group that he knew a "fast way out of Gorgrond" and they simply went along with it. Lack of choice, really.

"The closer we are, further from danger also," Baji put eloquently.

At the bottom of the pass, one of the entrances to the foundry lay in ruin. Corpses littered the surrounding area; both gronn, goren and orc.

"The Gronn," snarled Killmaw, "they are trying to tame them. Use them as weapons. They resist."

The group made their way stealthily as they could around the ruined entrance, using anything they could for cover. They took to one of the side-alleys and followed Killmaw's lead. It wasn't long before they realised they seemed to be heading into the mouth of the beast...

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"Danger, Danger and then more Danger."

A huge track of sort had loomed over the entrance. They hadn't thought about what it was, nor did they really know.

"A train," said the orc, "it runs through all of Gorgrond down to Frostfire. It will get you out of here... and out of my hair."

"Oh my!" gasped Baji, "Like a mine cart?" too polite to say what Stralow was about to.

"Sounds great, bar the army of orcs between us and it," the Tauren growled.

"They won't be expecting this!" the orc cackled in response, rushing ahead and setting two unsuspecting guards ablaze with a snap of his fingers. "Hurry. Be prepared to fight."

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"And fight they did."

The group couldn't avoid a giant orc brute who was packing the train full of weapons. Nor did it suit Stralow anymore to simply watch the orcs prepare for war. He was happy to show them the might of the Tauren. He thundered through the crates and smashed orc guards from side to side.

The battle was over just as Baji managed to load his new gun and fire one shot -- which missed -- at the brute. He sighed with disappointment. He never approved of violence, but the Iron Horde had certainly asked for it.

"It's leaving. Hurry!" yelled Xaohin, noticing the train starting to screech into a starting run.

"We won't make it!" exclaimed Kerrok.

"Nonsense! Follow me. NOW!" muttered Stralow as he charged at the train, smashing through the door of the carriage before it made speed. The others hopped on behind him, running along the platform desperately. But they made it.

But that was only half the battle...

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"All Aboard!"

The group moved quickly through the, largely empty, train... until they encountered the main arms carriage. Filled with weapons and many orcs more than willing to try them out on the invaders...

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"Aaaaahh!"

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"The group decide to jump."

Deciding to sabotage the supplies, the group then leaped from the train dramatically! They were still in Gorgrond, but Killmaw assured them that Frostfire was only a day away...

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"Camping in Gorgrond... again."

The group set up camp... but they were confident. Their friends now only lay a single day away...

It is with great sadness that I announce the end of Path of Dawnchaser. We are, eat least, no longer active and I personally am not going to be arranging anything for the guild anymore. The caretaker I left the guild with has also disappeared.

I have enjoyed roleplaying my Tauren, and rolelplaying with everyone in the guild and those who got involved, and I've had an amazing 1½ years with the guild. It's just not been going well since the Draenor hype ended, with only around 3 people actively roleplaying Tauren.

The guild won't be disbanded as such... so you never know, we might return some day.

I put a lot of time and energy into the guild and I did have fun but it has been an uphill battle. Something I'm sure every other Tauren (and race-only) guild has experienced. For the most part, it seems like people don't want to RP Tauren, or they find it difficult, or whatever. Their loss. Tauren are great!

Thanks to everyone who actually helped out with the guild.

For Thunder Bluff! Forever! <3