Jon Chess led the pannier-laden donkey behind his horse, turning to his companion. The donkey carried the latest order from Chef Grual, the cook in in the Scarlet Raven Tavern in Darkshire. "What a surprise!" exclaimed Jon sarcastically. "The weather is as wet and foul as a winter is Duskwallow Marsh. Cold, hungry, lonely, with only a Paladin of the Holy Light for company... truly, this place is well-named."
The aforementioned paladin snorted in amusement. "Oh, you'll live," Gryffonclaw replied. "You whine like a wet cat who fell into the Stormwind canals."
"Oh, I'll live," answered Chess. "But I won't enjoy it." When Chess had finished his drink and parted from Officer Connelly he had sought his half-brother. When Jon had come to the Stormwind Orphanage as a youth from Pyrewood, wearing only a Silverlaine signet ring, Gryffonclaw had recognized it as a sign of Jon's lineage as a bastard by-blow of the Silverlaine line. The paladin, also from Pyrewood, had thought himself the son of the castle's Commander Springvale, but had later discovered from his grandfather's ghost that his mother, Commander Springvale's wife had been taken unlawfully by the Silverlaine heir. The Commander had married her and salvaged her life until both had been killed when Silverlaine Castle had been taken by the accursed wizard Arugal. The ring, identical to Gryffonclaw's own, marked Jon as another bastard of the Silverlaine line, and Gryffonclaw's half-brother. He had stood as protector to Jon, and arranged for his first training in both arms and healing.
"Then you are a fool, brother mine. At the end of this case you shall return to your astonishingly beautiful wife, and I... I shall go back to my solitary existence."
"Yes, poor you. Well, you know you have an open invitation to dinner whenever we are in Stormwind."
"Or Boralus. Yes, and good thing - someone has to hear your and your family's confessions." Boralus, for all Jon loved it, had no Church of the Light and its adherents were dependent on itinerant priests or paladins. Gryffonclaw made a point to visit often, to take care of their needs.
They arrived in Darkshire just as night was falling, although the storm clouds had made the day as dark as night. Jon unpacked and delivered the cheese to the kitchen, while Gryffonclaw tended to their mounts at the stables. They met together in the common room, and struck up a conversation with the barkeep, Hann. Jon and Hann had devopled a strong relationship; Hann sold smuggled Moonshine which had avoided the royal taxes, and Jon sometimes supplied him with Silvermoon Port for his Ren'dorei customers. In exchange, Hann provided Jon with information for Elling Trias.
"So... I heard about the mystery body found some weeks ago... a merchant who was thirty one night, and found the next day as a 90-year old mummy. Do you remember serving him that night?" Jon asked casually.
"I do remember him, and I told the Night Watch," said Hann. "Funny thing though.. the poor sod spent most of the evening buying wine for a woman, and both of them went up to his room after dinner. She has not been found since."
"Do you remember her name? Can you describe her?" asked Gryffonclaw.
"After all this time? My memory is hazy... perhaps if I had incentive?" said Hann slyly.
"A failing memory in one so young is a shame." purred Jon softly. "Do you suppose that 50 gold might purchase medicines to restore your mental capacity?" Jon slid a small bulging purse across the table, when Hann made it swiftly disappear from sight.
"I recall woman, past her prime a bit but still handsome, with long silver hair; she could have been your older sister," Hann said. polishing a pewter tankard with a towel. "She visits us quite often from Raven Hill. Her name was Ilona, Ilona Locke."
"I don't understand... you told this to the Night Watch, but they didn't report it?" Gryffonclaw asked.
Hann leaned forward and spoke in a tone just above a whisper. "She was Veiled Hand."
"Interesting," said Jon softly, and then finished his wine. "Time for bed, Gryff; we need to head to Raven Hill in the morning."
"Jon, shouldn't we ask the Night Watch why they didn't mention her?" asked Gryffonclaw.
"No... during the war against the Burning Legion, the Veiled Hand used demonic sorcery to subvert the wills of many of the Night Watch, and some were willing agents. They sought to overthrow Stormwind rule, but their plans were thwarted by SI:7 agents," said Jon. "I doubt that anyone wants to admit anything where the Veiled Hand was concerned.
"We will find no answers here," Join concluded.
 |
| Raven Hill |
The morning found them on the road to Raven Hill, the ruined town on the other end of Darkshore woodlands, across the river from Westfall.
Raven Hill was an abandoned town, now inhabited by worgen from Gilneas who continue to search for a cure for the Affliction, the worgen curse. Jon knew them all well; supplies were regularly sent by the export company <Universal Exports>, paid for by Tess Greymane. Tess was the current heir of King Genn Greymane of Gilneas, and sometime had tasks for Jon, who was an unAfflicted Gilnean by birth.
Jon sought out Sister Elsington, who served the camp as their spiritual advisor. Jon introduced Gryffonclaw, who had never travelled to Raven Hill before.
"Sister, we seek information about the two dead men who hunted spider venom, some time hence," said Gryffonclaw."
"I would be happy to tell you what little I know, Sir Gryffonclaw - when the bodies were discovered, they were brought to me for shriving and blessing." Since the proliferation of undead by the Scourge, the freshly dead were often shriven and blessed to forestall them from becoming cursed with undeath.
"Might I ask you to describe them, Sister?"
"They had spent the night within the camp the day before and when we found them, they were aged and desiccated as if they had reached a century in age," confirmed Sister Elsington. "Quite a shame, realy - we never did find the woman who was with them."
"There was a woman?" asked Jon.
"Oh yes, she had come with them from Darkshire, but there was no sign of her body... we supposed that she was... taken by the unholy ones in the cemetery nearby."
"Can you describe her, Sister?" asked Gryffonclaw.
"Thank you sister, you have been a great help," said Gryffonclaw. "May the Light keep you warm against Darkness."
"Thank you, Sir," answered Sister Elsington with a wolfish smile. "Jon, please thank Princess Tess for all her support when next you see her?"
"It shall be done, Sister," confirmed Jon with a bow.
They walked slowly down to the middle of the camp, preparing their bedrolls for the night.
"Do you think the woman dead?" asked Gryffonclaw.
"No, my brother - I think her in Stormwind," confirmed Jon,
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