#Lord of the Shado Pan

[nixalegos]

A Lordly Disagreement

Somewhere on Val

The brazier was fed another limb, a sacrifice that let the enchanted bowl flare anew with hellish green life saving heat, a respite against the numbness trying to kill the hooded man. There was ironically, no shortage of fuel to burn on the icy hellscape. One merely needed to crack the still frozen prisons of invaders past and pry it off the corpse inside.

Even the chill of Icecrown, in the darkest deepest graves would have seemed sweltering in comparison to the nearly absolute zero the Sin'dorei warlock trundled. Every step between those barely maintained bowls a killing ground. Even a handful of seconds too long, a weakness in the ice, a slip of footing would doom him.

Corpses' of once heroes, prey, and even a few illidari lingered like statues in the canyon in which he pulled himself forward. Down, past the sightlines what few reinforced strongholds above held bickering generals and would be inquisitors, trapped while the Legion recoiled from the staggering loss of Argus and their Titans. No way to leave, and with nothing left to conquer.

He was not here to see any of them. Down along the basin of a chasm too wide to really block the wind, to the yawning cave entry he'd travelled across worlds and risked becoming a popsicle for.

The cavern blocked the wind, but it did little to prevent the killing cold. More ice blocks containing dead mortals and lesser demons alike had been pulled inside the demons lair, dragged perhaps, as scraps along the caverns floor made clear. Kept as trophies, and grim warnings both.

With near frozen hands, he reached back, unslinging a rifle like contraption that wasn't one, and made his way deeper inside while checking the engineering gadgets 'ready' panel still glowed green. At least within the cavern, it was only a matter of freezing in a few minutes, instead of seconds. He barely had that.

The acknowledgement of his arrival was a thundering cavern shaking charge from the dark. The furious annihilan boasting a club, spiked like a shado-pan legbreaker, only twice the size of the man it was being swung at. Even if the demon missed, the trampling weight of the immense destroyer would have smeared him across the ice.

Club and belly both crashed down to the sound of ice and ground shattering and cracking, and the musical note of bones splintering yes, and yet, there was no sensation of heat tickling the underbelly of the beast, no last warm sprays of blood. No kill.

The demon turned to the sound of a voice, where one of its past and frozen trophies was suddenly NOT there, as the tiny insignificant intruder vented the aetheric discharge of the strange gun it must of used moments before being clobbered.

"TRIGMIMIN!" The mortal said as loud as it could, and this, gave the Pit Lord pause from simply turning and charging again. He'd never heard a mortal use its name before. Just screams. "I've come to bargain!" To which the demon snarled and swung its terrible club down in frustrations, demolishing what had been left of the shattered corpse.

"You mock me. Bargain? You have nothing to offer." It said, studying the little hooded thing now curiously. It had time to play with its next meal. "I know you were forced into these wastes, living in squalor while those in the strongholds above call you the shamed. I barely had to trade the inquisitors for that fact, it was considered too commonly known." The mortal taunted.

The Pit Lord snarled and bellowed as it charged again, its bulk crushing a stalagmite and another frozen trophy with its bulk as the warlock once more swapblastered his position with that of the dead.

"You long for conflict, but you're stuck here, frustrated, alone, expected to freeze and rot as your power is wasted keeping the braziers here lit. I can change that." The soon to be SMEAR suggested.

"I will never be BOUND!" The demon said in fury. The AUDACITY to think HE could be bound like some imp! The demon reared back, letting his full weight crash down, and his legs spread like a runner taking its mark, a sure sign he was about to charge again. The demon's mouth twisted into a devious grin, let him use his little trick for the third time, there was only a handful of corpses left, as soon as he charged, he'd simply FLING his club at the one not obscured by the bulk of his charge.

"Would you rather be bound to this tomb then, than be the only Pit Lord on Val being fed tribute?"

The bulk of him carried by its four legs in a leaping push off that dug furrows into the caverns floor, his arms swinging the club back and FLUNG its terrible weapon and cudgel towards the rightmost ice statue. Stand still, run, or swap, the warlock was dead in the pit lords gambi- The impact of his own club to his chest blew the triumphant war bellow from its lungs. So unexpected in fact, it tripped over its own front feet, and its head impacted the wall of its own cavern as it crashed and skidded.

The warlock had swapped with the flung club, careened into the ice block with momentum equalizing between himself and the flung, but it was far less a damaging impact than being pulverized and bludgeoned, the swapblaster rifle crushed between the warlocks armor and the impact with the ice. He'd tossed the now ruined pieces away and struggled much like the brute did against the wall.

"Why be SHAMED when you could be the Usurer of Val?" The warlock said as he pushed himself up and away from the ice, only managing to slip once on his shaking limbs.

Trigmimin snarled, head still reeling from the utter blunder of his charge, pushing the club off his own cracked armor plate. "Usurer?" It said, at last listening while its head still buzzed from the blossoming pain.

"The ethereals of the Nether use slivers of the soul as currency." "Bah, those wrapped nothings. You can't pay me in slivers." It said as it recovered to its full height. "Plated in titanium and chromium. Full coinage. You keep the soul. You keep the metal those above use for their fortresses, melt it, make it your own, barter it."

"In exchange for what." The demon said with a low hungry voice.

"When I need your might swung, you swing. Not bound, appeased. Let the others hear that you alone are being paid for. You alone can dole out payment and make good on wagers. You alone are getting to whet their weapon with blood that isn't frozen." The warlock said as rolled his shoulders.

"You would play Kingmaker." The Pit Lord said.

"Mannaroth is dead. Why not be paid to take their throne?"

"And in exchange, I need merely avail myself to the joy of battle?" The Pit Lord asked.

Nixalegos smiled up at the terrible beast. "We need merely work out the details."

[kiunlo]

i got me rogue to lvl 70 and somehow got the klaxxi and the shado-pan exalted in one day just by...questing. okay then. coolio. also if i get all the mounts you can buy with bronze from the timetravelling bitches and then idk get like 4 random mounts from somewhere else (auction house) i will get the lord of the reins achievement and i can get my cool blue cloud serpent :3333

[brillraven]

Alliance Blogroll / Unblogged Characters

Velma Wormwood - The Afflicted Arcanist

A sheltered member of the former Gilnean gentry whose life changed forever when she contracted the curse of the savage worgen. Her aptitude for magic and portal theory persevered into her afflicted state, and she was able to hold membership with the illustrious Kirin Tor before resigning in order to fight the horde. She is loyal to Genn and Jaina these days moreso than her king, Anduin, who she thinks is too soft. She is the paramour to Lord Rynov Ravensteel, an Alteraci paladin who holds the line between the remnants of horde-controlled Lordaeron and the Arathi front.

( @velmawormwood )

Desiree Shelton - The Vengeful Witch

When Alliance soldiers under command of King Varian killed her brother for his involvement with the Defias, his younger sister was devastated. In her pain, the young priestess was seduced over to the Cult of Forgotten Shadow. While she ultimately seeks retribution for the Wrynn family’s treatment of the Stonemason’s Guild and the death of her brother, she periodically works with the Cult and the Netherlight Temple to thwart the naga and Twilight’s Hammer’s attempts to unleash the Old Gods’ madness upon Azeroth. She does this will no small measure of difficulty, for the seductive powers of darkness continually tempt her...

( @desireeshelton )

Mauraelle Darkwater - The Disillusioned Warrior

None quite remember how old Mauraelle is, including the Illidari herself. She was too young to remember the Sundering, but she remembers the demonic horde who nearly wiped out her entire village in the Stonetalon Mountains. In those days the demon hunter was just another humble kaldorei who pledged herself to the Sentinels, but years passed and a gnawing hunger for vengeance clawed at her. Her lust for demon blood became so all-encompassing that her fellow sentinels grew concerned for her. When word reached her of Lord Illidan’s seat in Outland, she was one of the first to drop her Sentinel’s glaive and go. Now, she has achieved her vengeance, but with closure comes a lack of purpose. She finds she has lost all similarity to her old people, and while she does technically serve the alliance, she often questions why she should serve any side in such a frivolous war.

( @mauraelledarkwater )

Hedevig Curseforge - The Demonic Matriarch

While she and her blacksmith husband once actively opposed both the horde and the alliance from their city underneath Blackrock Mountain, Hedevig’s respect for Moira Thaurissan has warmed her to the idea of working with the other dwarven clans. As of now she is the only one of her family who is an active combatant, with her husband and 8 children being kept safe in Ironforge at her express order. Coming from a guild of practiced and esteemed Dark Iron warlocks, she is prepared to unleash felfire upon those who would threaten the dwarven council and, by extension, the safety and security of her family. 

Estriel Blacksun - The Spurned Sister

The sister of the decorated Farstrider veteran Edhelwen Redsun. Before the fall of Quel’thalas to the Scourge, Estriel and her family used to be known as Silversun. However, when her parents and sister resorted to imbibing fel magic, Estriel could not go along with it. While her family renamed themselves Redsun in honor of the newly formed sin’dorei, Estriel lived apart from her kin as one of the last true quel’dorei. She began training under the Pandaren martial arts masters and sought new power and a new path, until she found one in Alleria’s return and the formation of the quel’dorei. Seduced by the power offered by the void, she voluntarily became ren’dorei and broke away from the teachings of the Pandaren. Now she forges her own path, fusing the martial arts techniques she has learned with the potent power of the void she has become a part of. 

Li hua Winterblade - The Roving Seeker

Once a rejected initiate of the Shado-Pan, Li hua worked for a long time as a thug in the service of the Tavern in the Mists, breaking up fights and accepting contract work for the shady characters who passed through. She even had a brief period where she worked for an associate of the shadowy Madam Goya, even though she never came into contact with the woman herself. When the war between the horde and alliance washed up on Pandaria’s shore, she was quick to pick a side, choosing the alliance to side with when the conflict ended. Ever since then, however, she’s began to second-guess her decision, and now finds herself doing work with outside sources more often than not. 

[bluerainedeer]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, ERRRYONE!! ***I just received word that my pumpkin won the Blizzard Entertainment Carving Contest! Thank you so much for all who enjoy my pumpkins!! :'D***  Seeing as it's Halloween today, I'm posting my 9th World of Warcraft annual pumpkin carving! For some reason, the deadline was changed to October 25th instead of the usual 29th. Despite finding out this stressful surprise on October 19th, and for those who know my situation where I've been battling a neurological condition, I am SO excited that I pushed through and made it in time to participate. I even finished 1 day early!   This guy required an excessive amount of effort to get done, and as always, hours (and hours!) of ridiculously challenging work, but it sure was fun. I hope you all enjoy it and Happy Halloween everyone! ^__^ ~Rainedeer Media: Pumpkin + carving tools Smoldering Ember Wyrm © Blizzard All art © Rainedeer/R.Pye (Boring Twitter text until I figure out how to embed an icon xD) twitter.com/RainePye [[Since I began pumpkin carving for the first time in 2009, it has become a personal tradition to carve each year, as well as to participate in the Blizzard Entertainment pumpkin carving contest. Below, I've stuck in a bit of a carvings breakdown over the years, as this will now be my 9th pumpkin! Wonderfully enough, all 5 pumpkins have made it up on the Honorable Mentions wall on the official Blizzard website, with the previous 3 pumpkins from 2014-2016 succeeding in snagging the 1st Place winning slot! Onyxia - 2009 Skoll - 2010 Vial of Sands - 2011 Shado-Pan Tiger - 2012 Cloud Serpent - 2013 Lord Darius Crowley - 2014 Reins of the East/West Wind Drake - 2015 Legion Storm Drake - 2016]]

[transmogwow]

Nitrogun - Thunderlord (us) head: Valorous Scourgestalker Headpiece neck: Heart of Azeroth shoulder: Valorous Scourgestalker Spaulders back: Hidden Cloak chest: Chestguard of the Submerged tabard: Shado-Pan Tabard wrist: 7th Legionnaire's Bindings hands: Valorous Scourgestalker Handguards waist: Hidden Belt legs: Valorous Scourgestalker Legguards feet: Ashenwood Sabatons finger1: Stonemason's Guild Band finger2: Notorious Aspirant's Band trinket1: Enthraller's Bindstone trinket2: Forest Lord's Razorleaf mainHand: Wolfslayer Sniper Rifle

[actualpanda]

Bit of a continuation from the last question: I bet Sha Tsu and Sha Taran Zhu are always adding extra poundage to each other as a way of friendly rivalry given how huge both of them are

They most certainly do! Sha Zhu will step behind Tsu and fatten him up, but Tsu gives as good as he gets for the former Lord of the Shado-Pan!

[maeriettascarlet]

Alone in Crisis...

She saw the fire from the road. The farmers rushing to tell her the bad news. The farm had been attacked. Pilfered and burned by wandering mauraders. The guards hadn’t had a chance. Shado-pan on Shado-pan exile and the advantage goes to the ones with the element of surprise.

The children were safe…and she knew her fiancé wasn’t home. He hadn’t been for weeks. Holed up in that place. She had returned to the farm with her two little ones just to avoid yet another uncomfortable tea date with some random stranger that knew her name. The older cubs had stayed on the turtle with Fal and his sister. They at least could go to the meetings she didn’t want to. He could show off his little ones. She didn’t feel bad for leaving. She had made an ass of herself in his world and felt more comfortable back home.

But where was home? She was watching it burn. She couldn’t get ahold of Xiao…and Fal wasn’t answering and the Enclave radio chatter was dead. She wondered if actually her own radio would call out or if it was broken.

He answered first and she was relieved for that. Lord Embervale…he had always been a good friend. He swooped in to secure her and her little ones almost immediately. He had somewhere for her to stay. A pair of joined rooms in the East Wing of Ravenwood Manor the House Embervale Manor house.

She had thought to decline. She had thought to keep calling her fiancé but she was getting no where with that. This new job of his was pulling them apart more and more every week and she wondered if that was to be their future.

The life of a single mom anyway despite the ring. She wondered if they would even bother with the wedding at this point. They never even saw each other long enough to discuss it.

She sat on her bed. The small ones playing on the opulent rug of the beautiful room. Embervale flash mixed with demur class…this room had been decorated in part by the former Lady Liliana Embervale.

Mae dropped her head into her hands. It had been a long day and she couldn’t hold back the tears. Cassius and Seren, despite being just young could see the sadness on their mothers face. They wandered over on shakey legs to look up at her. Their concerned faces making her break into a huge smile. “We will be alright my sweethearts. No matter what we have each other.”

[transmogwow]

Highpaw - Zul'jin (us) head: Replica Shado-Pan Helmet neck: Heart of Azeroth shoulder: Hidden Shoulder back: Hidden Cloak chest: Roofstalker Shadowwrap shirt: Wound Dressing tabard: Hidden Tabard wrist: Hidden Bracers hands: Hidden Gloves waist: Ferocious Gladiator's Ironskin Belt legs: Legguards of Hidden Knives feet: Duskbat Exterminator's Treads finger1: Lord Waycrest's Signet finger2: Band of Multi-Sided Strikes trinket1: Forest Lord's Razorleaf trinket2: Chargestone of the Thunder King's Court mainHand: Fists of the Heavens offHand: Sinister Aspirant's Pummeler

[transmogwow]

Altonis - Zirkel des Cenarius (eu) head: Thelwater's Steelwoven Eyepatch neck: Heart of Azeroth shoulder: Hidden Shoulder back: Hidden Cloak chest: Hidden Chestpiece wrist: Isle Watcher's Bracers hands: Hidden Gloves waist: Sha'tari Deadeye Belt legs: Stormborn Legguards feet: Tsunami Boots finger1: Stonemason's Guild Band finger2: Spearfisher's Band trinket1: Forest Lord's Razorleaf trinket2: Pearl Diver's Compass mainHand: Shado-Pan Ranger's Bow

[transmogwow]

Oneshotmacro - Spinebreaker (eu) head: Replica Shado-Pan Helmet neck: Heart of Azeroth shoulder: Dreamwalker Spaulders back: Hidden Cloak chest: Dreamwalker Tunic tabard: Tabard of Brute Force wrist: Soaring Wristwraps hands: Dreamwalker Handguards waist: Hidden Belt legs: Orgrimmar Leggings feet: Sandstalker Ankleguards finger1: Overseer's Lost Seal finger2: Lord Waycrest's Signet trinket1: Darkmoon Deck: Tides trinket2: Sinister Gladiator's Insignia mainHand: Sinister Gladiator's Staff

[transmogwow]

Satres - Burning Legion (us) head: Stormheart Headdress neck: Heart of Azeroth shoulder: Stormheart Mantle back: Hidden Cloak chest: Acid-Eaten Vest wrist: Netherfiend Armbands hands: Mud's Crushers waist: Shado-Pan Initiate's Belt legs: Leggings of the Empty Throne feet: Cataclysmic Gladiator's Footguards of Meditation finger1: Stonemason's Guild Band finger2: Lord Admiral's Signet trinket1: Doom's Hatred trinket2: Crest of Pa'ku mainHand: Scythe of Elune offHand: Cursed Monkey Palm

[transmogwow]

Nevarii - Dragonblight (eu) head: Replica Shado-Pan Helmet neck: Heart of Azeroth shoulder: Pauldrons of the Furious Elements back: Kaldorei Archer's Greatcloak chest: Hauberk of the Furious Elements shirt: Ebon Filigreed Shirt tabard: Hidden Tabard wrist: Kaldorei Archer's Vambraces hands: Wrangling Grips waist: Cinch of the World Shaman legs: Wyrmstalker's Legguards feet: Gronnstalker's Boots finger1: Spearfisher's Band finger2: Ring of Malice trinket1: Forest Lord's Razorleaf trinket2: Lion's Guile mainHand: Heartstriker

[transmogwow]

Sandmaster - Arthas (us) head: Replica Shado-Pan Helmet neck: Heart of Azeroth shoulder: Bloodtusk Shoulderpads back: Hidden Cloak chest: Refurbished Zandalari Vestment shirt: Ebon Filigreed Doublet tabard: Shado-Pan Tabard wrist: Sinister Gladiator's Leather Armwraps hands: Ferocious Gladiator's Ironskin Gloves waist: Red Belt of Gentle Persuasion legs: Dreadsworn Slayer Legs feet: Tukka-Tuk's Hairy Boots finger1: Seal of Questionable Loyalties finger2: Lord Admiral's Signet trinket1: Azerokk's Resonating Heart trinket2: Galecaller's Boon mainHand: Fists of the Heavens offHand: Bile-Stained Crawg Tusks

[transmogwow]

Gierlin - Blutkessel (eu) head: Ata'mal Crown neck: Cloudstrike Pendant shoulder: Soul-Siphon Mantle back: Magma Lord Cloak chest: Death-Speaker's Tunic shirt: White Linen Shirt wrist: Wraps of the San'layn hands: Fel-Infused Grips waist: Captain Sanders' Sash legs: Suppository Preventors feet: Jeweled Boots of Sanctification finger1: Jed'hin Aspirant's Ring finger2: Viscous Ring trinket1: An'she's Infusion of Light trinket2: Shado-Pan Dragon Gun mainHand: Staff of the Formidable Opponent

[actualpanda]

After MASSIVE WRITER'S BLOCK was defeated in 1-man normal mode, Chapter 14 of Turmoil in the Land of Mists has been uploaded!

No, there were no rewards for doing this. Aside from the thrill of finally getting another long chapter under my belt (3,770 words!)...

Let me know what you think of it!

[actualpanda]

Chapter 12 of Turmoil in the Land of Mists has been posted! Another midnight update for me...

Taran Zhu arrives in the Temple of the Jade Serpent and fulfills one of the tasks he had established for himself in Chapter 2...

A young Pandaren woman awaited Taran inside a tall sweeping sanctum. Liu Flameheart took her leave of Lord Zhu at that time, explaining in an abashed tone, "What she has to say to you is for your ears alone, Lord Zhu."

Taran nodded once more. The Pandaren woman considered him and sat down in the center of the room, cross-legged, jade streaks in her hair. Taran knew this image of the Jade Serpent well, even though he'd only met her twice; once as a child in the company of his family, and the next time as an adult shortly after his father's passing from this life. "Lady Yu'lon." He bowed and stepped closer to her, standing some ten paces away.

Fei, the name that Yu'lon preferred when she took Pandaren form, gestured for him to sit as well. "I must see your face for myself, Taran Zhu, to see if you are the same as the last time you came this way." She indicated for him to remove the helmet and his scarf.

"I was a young man in those days, Lady Yu'lon." Taran answered her with strained patience in his tone. It was a foolish request, was it not? He inclined his head towards her in a low bow, unconsciously shielding his eyes with his helmet. "And while your eyes have seen much..."

"Look up." Fei commanded sternly. Taran at once did so. "Iinsistupon this courtesy, Taran Zhu." Fei said in a tone that would brook no argument. Taran Zhu politely removed the helmet of his order and unraveled the scarf about his neck. He closed his eyes and bowed to her once more as he finished doing so. The vestige of Yu'lon seemed sorrowful as she met his eyes. "Your youth was spent before its time." She murmured quietly, sorrowfully. "Yet you are still quite handsome. Why do you shield yourself in such a way from the eyes of others?"

"Because..." Taran's voice trailed off. "It was something that my grandfather wore, or so I was told by the elders of the Shado-Pan when I was a cub. My father never wore it. I often wish hehad."

"So you wear your order's symbol to spite your father?" Yu'lon's Pandaren image asked in a voice touched by inmost laughter. She knew the real reason, even if Taran no longer did himself. "You are indeed stubborn, Taran Zhu." She shook her head sadly.