Along the main road of Hillsbrad, two figures sauntered casually admist the tattered landscape. Though the land was beaten and tattered, the only sounds of strife or conflict were just mere whispers on the winds of distance.
They were completely different save for the sickly green tabards hung loosely over their various pieces of mismatched light armor. The by far larger of the two, an orc, fell behind a bit in their already slow pace to look over his left shoulder, to the north. Another gust flew by, the kind that presents ominous sight of past or present- even though neither were practicers of any sort of shamanistic or druidic arts who sense such things. The orc touched his braided beard, which was greyed with age. "Masta'", he said in his orcish accented Common. "Does not this bring back a memory?"
The second of the pair, smaller in stature but exremely more fearsome looking, also gazed to the north. His skin was dusty and cracked and a grey-becoming-blue. Despite a complete lack of eyes he was able to see the run down remains of Durnholde Keep. The rotting humanoid's jaw twisted as if it was loose as he voiced his words.
"Swallows fly in the sky. Water reflects their shadows. The swallows leave no trace. The water keeps no shadows."
Then the undead continued to walk again.
The orc was overcome with emotion. Despite all the ancient powers that the old orc held onto bearing from the dark powers of the warlock, he felt weak to the power of the other's words.
Master Tsao, of the Forsaken. Former Alliance General of Lorderan. Former teacher of ethics. Former human. Though for all his words, he could not meditate away the feelings of sadism, which all but replaced any feelings of sadness for the past.
---
"Dabu, Master Tsao.", an orc raised his hand as he sat behind the table-like desk which he shared with two other orcs. In the wood-and-stone constructed schoolhouse, many desks and other orcs behind them inside. Though Durnholde looked like a formidable prison fortress on the outside, on the inside things were much more civil.
"Hmm?" The aged human looked from behind what he was writing on the chalkboard to his studen orc who had called for attention, and set the chalk down. "A question from you?" Tsao was happy when his orcish students asked questions. Sometimes they were so lethargic that he was surprised they didn't sleep during class. Better this, though, then their past desire of bloodlust.
"I'm sorry, but I do not understand. Master." The orc continued. Tsao knew him as Baeldok. Once a very powerful orc who was known himself as cruel and to never take prisoners, he too was now as docile as the others. Tsao nodded, and Baeldok spoke slowly, to get his Common correct. "You say those who desire and keep great treasures will have roots in the earth. But... you say as if this is bad. Do not root be good? Root give life to tree and plant."
Tsao smiled. He was proud to have such thinkers. 'There's hope for this world's peace, yet.', the Master thought to himself. "Yes, roots are very nourishing. But tell me, when is the last time you have seen a tree wander on it's own? There is a pretty river and field down in that valley. Go, tree, live there happily. Oh? You cannot? Why are you rooted, tree?"
Baeldok lowered his head in deep thought.
"Don't expect all to be clear as a snap of a finger. You have a long life to think about it."
"Zug zug, master."
"And in Common?"
"Thank you."
"And thank you."
And such as exchanges went, and many more, in Tsao's Ethics Class. Though the captive orcs fluxuated between lethargy and anxiousness throughout the intermitten camps in Lordaeron, Durnholde was the one most well known for it's peacefulness. Many war heroes spent time with the orcs, either to rule as wardens over their previous enemies, to study them out of curiousity, or in attempt to better them. And although things seemed docile within this classroom, Durnhold was not without it's strife. The chief warden Aedelas Blackmoore sought to mold the orcs into his vision of his own personal army. He, in fact, was personally teaching one of them all of his tactics and philosophy. Through this cunning, the Horde's future warchief Thrall was trained. Tsao, looking to retire, was a perfect addition to Warden Blackmoore's plans. With his passive teachings of manners and ethics, he thought through him that they would stay in line, and leave their desires of breaking out for their own freedom through respect through mental discipline.
Instead, this caused orcs to think for themselves. Because of this, though it was the Alliance that held power today, things would not remain this status quo forever...
Rumors were starting to spread throughout the orcs who were returned to the camps after escaping that there were still clans out there who were resisting entrapment, such as the Warsong clan and the Frostwolves. Thrall started to plan his escape from Durnholde. And things at this very location were becoming a storm for a shaping of things to come.
Next: Chapter 1- Tsao's Secret! Will This Lead To Betrayal?
Posted by Tsao at 11:08 AM 10 June 2005