Fitzkrank Oils and Lotions is coming to Boralus! Look forward to the grand opening of our shop in the harbor on May 15! We are currently looking to employ a local Kul Tiran sixteen gold an hour to work the store! If you are interested, address a letter to Gerald Fitzkrank to set up an appointment!
During one of my first nights, I was able to interview Aneokame, the owner and operator of The Brig and the Ashwood Vale Consortium.
Ran by the kaldorei named Aneokame Crowsong, The Brig is a delightful hole-in-the-wall tavern located just outside of the dwarven district.They are open from six to ten bells nightly and offers a quiet, more mature atmosphere. Things here are taken at an easy pace and one does not feel harried or as though they are surrounded by rowdy rabble rousers like at other bars in the city. Their menu includes a variety of high quality wines, meads, ales, and liquors, a true staple. If you do go to the tavern, make sure to try their moonberry mead, as it is truly out of this world!
Next door to The Brig is Miss Crowsong’s shop, the Ashwood Vale Consortium, who offer a wide variety of strange, unusual, rare, and eclectic goods! Some of the goods include potions, tea leaves, dried herbs, books, furs, beautiful jewels, and artifacts! They even have hand sewn dresses and men’s shirts, a perfect boutique if you are going to a ball! If you are ever in need of a custom piece, the Ashwood Vale Consortium should be your go-to place for fine wear! The Ashwood Vale Consortium is open in the afternoons or by appointment! Stop by today!
(Character name: Aneokame. Character Tumblr: https://aneokame-crowsong.tumblr.com/)
Now in stores, experience an absolutely divine scent of, La Gnome’s Tresour lotion and moisturizer! Selling for 22 gold pieces, it is an essential date-night accomplice. The scent is intoxicating – a sexy, feminine blend of rose, peach and apricot blossom (among other fruity, floral goodness). Plus, the lightweight formula leaves your skin so smooth, it’d be a crime to go un-caressed.
Now in stock: the scent of roasted pine lotion, selling for 17 gold pieces! Available in store or from Gerald Fitzkrank! This scent will leave you smokey and desired, a mature fragrance that will be sure to lead to delightful company! This lotion was created due to the desires of Ms. Seraanna!
Next, I was luckily able to speak to a woman that recently joined the Mercantile Society! Her story is of struggles and triumph, and she is a true self-starter! Unlike Haris Pilton, of course.
Jacqueline McLean was but a girl when she arrived to Stormwind from Gilneas. She had had nothing to her name but the clothes on her back! She had to learn the streets rather quickly, and learn what the denizens of the city wanted and needed. From there, she started working on several ships, taking up whatever tasks she could. She became well known in the docks, Jacqueline McLean becoming a common name for the denizens of the harbor. She then found herself working under a nobleman for some time and that is where she began to invest in a more lucrative business. She studied language, rising up to be one of the leading Gilnean diplomats. She is often stationed in Boralus, maintaining relations with the people there and the Alliance.
She captains ‘The Siren’s Rose’. She acquired it by saving for five years, and it is the product of all her hard work since she arrived in the city. Even though she was quite young to commandeer a ship herself, she was able to make her dream a reality! She accomplished her goals at just twenty-five years old. Now she is twenty-eight, and she is her own boss! Some would even say she is the captain of her own sails! She usually employs for other men, besides her first mate, Troy. If you are looking to work on a boat sailing between Stormwind City and Boralus, then ‘The Siren’s Rose’ may be perfect for you!
Jacqueline McLean’s cargo consists of raw materials such as herbs, cloth, and ores, as well as items for personal clients. If you need a reliable captain to navigate your cargo to another port, Jackie is your gal! Her ship is almost always at the harbor in Stormwind or in the harbor of Boralus, when of course, she is not on the seas. Her door is open most of the time, always welcoming to guests!
(Character tumblr: https://shewolf-jacqueline.tumblr.com/, character name: Jåcqueline)
Say goodbye to the unpopular scents! ‘Pumpkin Gut’ and ‘Peppermint’ beard oils are officially being shelved, as they are truly out of season! They will, however, be replaced by two rejuvenating scents, bringing life to your beard!
The first scent is that of extracted anchor weed, an exotic herb found only in Kul Tiras and Zandalar! This scent is reminiscent of the ocean, and the clear oil brings a beard to its full potential! Make your beard smell of the seas and be as soft as a fair maiden’s touch today! This scent is only available in our Boralus location for 21 gold pieces.
The second scent is true to the season is that of wild steelbloom! Now now, gentlemen! It may not sound the manliest, but the flower offers a hardy scent that is sure to have your partners hoping for more! This scent is offered in all stores and in person for 15 gold pieces!
If you are seeking a rowdy experience every other Friday night, then Kegfist Brewery is for you! The popularity of the joint is astounding, full groups entering and enjoying the festivities the Kegfist offer. It seems their name-sake, the ‘kegsmasher’, is quite the hit. From what I’ve seen, it seems to be a heavily potent beverage that gets the party started. I am starting off with the appetizer of ‘Steamed Mushan Mandu’, a dumpling filled with meat from those large, savory reptile. It tastes vaguely fowl, like chicken or duck, but the seasoning is absolutely delicious. I am drinking their ‘Light Tea’, which helps wash down the heavy dumplings. There even seem to be patrons of the other faction at this establishment, a neutral place to ease the tensions of war that is currently crippling our world.
For my entrée, I decided to sample the ‘Way of the Ramen’, ordering myself some greenstone ramen. It contains lean sliced tiger, cabbage, bean sprouts, and carrots. And while it tastes amazing, one of the kickers is that it is cooked right in front of you! The noodles came out perfectly, the texture helping emphasize the stark tastes within the bowl. The tiger was cooked within the stew, soaking in the broth and the juices of the vegetables. The many different tastes bring forth a delightful sense, the textures aiding the tongue. The carrots are soft and almost mushy, yet they taste as though they were freshly picked. I highly recommend this meal, as it is an all around delicious entrée. It even comes with a fortune cookie!
I ordered from the ‘Way of the Grill’ next, Mr. Kegfist’s specialty. I ordered the black pepper ribs and giant shrimp! Yet again, this was a meal that was cooked in front of me, and boy howdy did it look very interesting! Pandaren cuisine is a marvel sometimes. Mr. Kegfist offered me three options for the ribs; mild, spicy, or dragon sauced! I chose spicy, as I consider myself quite the daredevil, but not to any extreme. I am no Sneevil Cogdeevil! Ah, I remember the days of seeing him do his stunts in the salt flats. May he find peace, wherever his is today. The ribs were delectable, falling off the bone and nearly melting in my mouth! The sauce was indeed spicy, and it felt as though I could breathe fire! The shrimp were out of this world, fresh caught and gutted in the establishment, you could taste the ocean on them! They were spicy as well, popping in your mouth as you eat them!
Finally, it was time to take my tastes to the ‘Way of the Fish’! And I am feeling -extra- spicy this evening, so I ordered the dragon sauce calamari! This may have been the spiciest thing I have ever tasted! Though it was absolutely delicious, a staple of the establishment. And yet again, Mr. Kegfist prepared it right before me! Added fun to the whole experience!
Wupoda Kegfist is the owner and head chef of Kegfist Brewery. He is a Pandaren of Halfhill, and he has been growing crops and learning the way of cooking since he was a child! Wupoda gets all of his vegetables fresh from Pandaria, crediting the magical soil for allowing his crops to grow at rapid paces and with massive growth!
Originally, his name was Wupoda Kegfist, Wandering Merchant of a Thousand Ales. It took them many tries to settle down in Pandaria, as they tried Stormwind, Kul Tiras, and a few other random places here and there in an attempt to appeal to different crowds. Then one night, his group were hired to work an event in this establishment, and they never left!
Kegfist Brewery also do catering! You heard that right, and the best way to get them to cater your event is to reach out to Mr. Kegfist through the mail! They have a pricing sheet and a few different modules for folks to find the best catering package for them. Mr. Kegfist’s tip to those of you wanting to break into the catering scene is: “Find your niche. We thrive because there aren’t many Pandaren chefs out there who have made business out of their skill. Most of us just do it for their friends and family.” So if you have a dream of becoming a caterer, do not be shy to express yourself and be adventurous! You may turn out to be as successful as Mr. Kegfist. If you market yourself as unique, it becomes harder for others to compete with your business! If Mr. Kegfist wasn’t running his restaurant, he would be tagging alongside the Darkmoon Faire! He has learned quite a few party tricks over his years in the bar tending scene.
Kegfist Brewery is always recruiting! “We can never say no to hopeful aspiring employees. We have more positions than just cooks and bartenders, so never consider yourself out just because you’re no good with food! Entertainers are always in high demand. Magic, jokes, a silly costume, it all works if you bring the charm. I’m posted in the Mage District of Stormwind pretty often for open interviews, if you ever see me around, come introduce yourself! -Wupoda Kegfist.
To close, Wupoda Kegfist leaves us with this nugget of wisdom: “Build your tables low to the ground, it is much harder to be drank under them.” He welcomes all to stop by Kegfist Brewery, as their doors are always open with cold drinks and friendly smiles! Be sure to catch them every other Friday night, from six bells to nine bells at The Drunken Hozen!
A common element in this world. Even in deep pockets buried under the sea, it managed to persist rather than perish. It held up the clouds far above. Destroyed homes with violent whips. Caressed lovers cheeks in the absence of their counterparts. And right now, it was becoming harder to come by.
No matter how deep a breath, Margharette only found the scorch of a dry desert filling her lungs with it's corrosive splendor. A pair of bloodied hands scared her throat, pushing her back against an old wall. Her nails sank deep into the constricting wrists, but murderous intent ran deeper.
Blow after blow had left her with little air to begin with. Behind the average build, shaggy haired man were the signs of a previous struggle. A broken chair lay scattered to the left. To the right, an overturned table. Only one whole chair remained, and it was hiding somewhere behind the table. Broken glass crunched beneath her assailant as he pressed on. Marge's feet were inches from the ground, but to her, it felt like miles.
The upper hand slipped through her fingers.
And she knew it.
First came the stroke of fear. Like the spines of a cacti, it pricked all of her senses. This was the part where panic had room to slither in and begin to drive the nail further into the coffin. As far as Margharette was concerned, this was where she endured and pushed through the haze. Conditioned to hold discipline above all, she did just that.
Margharette stared at her opponent.
She stopped reaching for air, holding on to his pinning arms with all her might.
A wave of defiance pushed forth by wrath washed away most of the spines, allowing an equally strong force of Shadows to soothe her senses. All the while giving them the little boost of energy she needed in order to turn the tide. With what little air remained in her, the woman smiled and murmured.
"Choke me harder, Daddy."
Feasting on her anger, the Shadows aided their host and drove her legs forward. Margharette kicked at the man as hard as her body would allow. The first strike drove into his nuts. It was then that his hands fumbled, allowing Marge to begin grasping at straws. The second knee connected with his side, causing the man to begin buckling sideways.
Damp boots returned to the floor. There was a mote of riled dust gently drifting in the growing space between them. It was directly in the path of her incoming punch. Margharette moved forward, focused on speaking to the man with her hands while she was busy catching her breath. She could see one of his arms rising in hopes of providing protection.
But it was too late. Air now filled her lungs at long last, adding a bit of pep to her fortified steps. The punch connected, stunning the man long enough for the second fist to make it through it's flight. One after the other, Margharette carried on her assault, unyielding in her resolve.
When he was brought to his knees, her own picked up the mantle. In the end, when unconsciousness finally overtook him, a few teeth lay with the rest of the broken furniture. Both of Margharette's hands and knees were caked in his blood and spit. And a little of her own. Specs and drops freckled her face and her white, fuzzy coat.
20 MINUTES LATER
To Margharette, there was something about rope to be admired. Both simple and versatile. It was defined by two opposing natures. Able to save a life but to also end it. At the moment, it veered towards the latter.
"Wakey, wakey~
Tits and bakey~"
A splash of cold water startled the bound, bloodied man. Enough to wake him from his stupor. With panicked gasps, he struggled against the ropes keeping him on the only chair left complete. Broken, wide eyes searched for Margharette. Slow to focus. As was his gargled breathing. They found the woman looming close by, holding one of his now empty buckets. Next to the white clothed woman was a bag.
"N-no. Please! I didn't mean it!" he exclaimed, voice shivering. Same as the rest of him.
"You didn't mean... what? Which part specifically did you not mean to do, Toby?" Margharette replied with her more usual calmness. A far cry from the savagery displayed earlier. She turned the bucket around and took a seat across from Toby. His brown hair was shaggy before, but now, it was downright hopeless.
"The part where you open the door and try to bolt after I said I just wanted to talk? Or the part where you hit me in the boob when you were reaching for your sword?" Margharette continued, reaching for her duffel bag and pulling out a black box."Maybe it's the part where you almost killed me. Or maybe, just maybe, you didn't mean to blackmail Mister Reigns?"
At this, Toby Flinched.
"Look - I didn't want to see you that night. But I did. You were just so beautiful with your blonde hair and that red dress. And then I put two and two together and found my chance to hurt that fucker. You and I --- we can take him down together ! I-I have it all. All the documents to bring him down. They're in there!"
Toby's bound hand wiggled, one of his fingers pointing towards the open door behind her. The one leading to his room. And the same one with the trip wire lined along the entrance. Marge's earlier slip up came from avoiding collision with just such a trap.
"Is that so.."
Margharette softly mused as her arms crossed over the box on which she then leaned. "You know..." The woman began with a reddened smile. Though the full extent of pain had yet to make itself known, Marge could feel the growing ache from the cut to her lip. ".. ever since I saw you at the payment spot, I wondered what kind of criminal you were. Given that the payment you were accepting came from blackmail, I figured you might know what you were doing. Then again, you did choose Reigns as your target, so there was some doubt. So tell me -- where exactly in the room are those papers?"
Margharette sat upright, soon reaching into her bag again.
"I-in the brown chest. Next to the bed." Toby mumbled in between the shakes. "Just let me go. I'll do whatever you want!"
The light from the nearby lamp glistened over the scalpel Margharette drew from her bag. "It's a deal." she purred in response before pushing from the bucket. In one hand, she held a blade. In the other, a box. "But first. Tell me. If you had to pick one, which would it be?" Margharette asked the man, playfully balancing her items before him.
Toby looked between her glistening blade and the dark box. His head jerked towards the lidded cube. Marge's red tainted pearls flashed as a wild grin overtook her features.
"Present from Mister Reigns it is then!" Margharette enthusiastically said. Toby's face further drained of color. His eyes widened with fear. She wondered how such an experience felt like for another. But Margharette did not wonder for long. The scalpel in her hand drove towards the man's stomach, creating a deep and wide opening. His cries of pain made the box rattle. Once a proper entrance had been carved into the landscape, Marge put away the blade and focused on the box.
"Were it up to me, I would have sliced your wrists while you were taking a bath, Toby. But such is not your fate." Margharette softly coo'ed, moving the box towards his bleeding stomach. The jittering mess that was Toby stared down in horror. Once she opened the lid, a scorpion crawled onto his skin. A Tanaris Drainer. Hard to find luxury item. Bloodthirsty. Hungry. And right now, heading down the path that has been presented to it.
TEN MINUTES LATER
The last several minutes had been filled with despaired screams and hopeless bargaining. Beneath Toby's hairy skin, a monster was left loose. On occasion, a small bulge deformed his torso as the scorpion moved and crossed. It also stung.
By now, Margharette sat on the bucket once more, silently watching the man suffer on the road to his death. Though he implored the Gods, none came to his rescue. Neither did Marge. While counting down the minutes, the dark haired woman absorbed the scene. What once were tiny splatters of blood now soaked her warm, wintry gear, creating large splotches.
Snow began to build up along the trim of the grassy roofed cabin's window. The light from the lamp dimmed as it began to run out of oil.
Madness stared deep and hard at Margharette. Toby's hatred at her passive stance in the wake of his woes guided his hallucinations. The pain wrecking his system only helped to make them seem more real.
A few minutes earlier, the Tanaris Drainer found it's way back to the world after it's evil began to feed on the man's insides. Margharette collected the exotic, deadly and useful creature, wrangling it back to the box before it was put away in her duffel bag.
"What does it feel like to you?" Marge began, the first time she had spoken since slicing a hole in Toby's stomach.
"Dying I mean. Everyone's time is different. What do you see, Toby?"
Toby's head rose from it's slump. His skin had gone from simple pale to ash. And though it began to harden, the man's lips painfully cracked with movement.
"Weeping willow..." His voice was as weak as the rest of him.
"It's everywhere. All around me. I can't... Nothing... --n't breathe..."
What began as coherent words quickly began to turn into a jumbled mess. Cracking, ashen skim crumbled over every joint. Little movements brought great consequences. A whistle passed. Then another. Toby wheezed, bound hands reaching for the air that never came. But before his last breath could be delivered, the man's head jerked back.
There was a definite shift in the atmosphere. Charged and oppressive. Margharette stayed put, reaching for something tucked away in her left boot. The crackle in the oil lamp was simultaneous with the straightening of the man's neck and head.
In his rise and fall, a portion of Toby's skull hollowed. Now, thick and tar-like Shadows filled up the holes. Previously unseen veins carried the vicious entity across his visage, making it's dark presence clear and visible.
"Round and round it goes. One debt paid and another owed."
The voice coming from Toby's lip-less mouth was not his own. It grated. Like the clash of swords in a battle field.
"Tick, tock, Tower of Terror. In your graces is our splendor. And when the bells ring three, our final union will be."
The continuous pile up of snow outside had nothing to do with the chill running up Margharette's spine as she listened. Toby's head slumped forward again after the message had been delivered. He was carried off by death to whatever world awaited him, leaving Marge behind to deal with the full weight of his words. The same Shadows which had given her another chance at life now reminded her of their cost with half sung rhymes.
Margharette stood from the bucket and checked the man for vital signs. There were none. The job was officially completed.
Unofficially, there was a possible loose end to tie. If anything, she'd sate her curiosity.
Boots thumped on the creaking floorboards as she made her way across the room. While the chair's broken leg would have made for an excellent bludgeoning object, it's purpose now was a bit more practical. Fodder. Margharette knelt behind the overturned table and tossed the collected piece of wood towards the rigged entrance to the room.
The loud bang that erupted rivaled Toby's earlier screeching and with twice the bass. Even though Marge was hiding behind a rickety but sturdy table, a piece of blown shrapnel found it's way between the planks and nicked her shoulder.
"No. I got it! Fragile. Death. Keep your minions and agents in line for eternity. You can stop now. I got the concept." Margharette sarcastically grumbled, looking at the space around her before she assessed the latest damage.
A scrape. It was nowhere near as bad as the rest of it. Without the trap in place, the woman came out of hiding and began to close the distance between her and the open door. Along the way, she picked up two things. The first was the rope tying the corpse to the chair. A deal was a deal. She untied the knots and began to coil the rough fabric, placing it in her bag. The second recovered belonging was said bag.
Toby's room was as barren as the rest of the hill hidden cabin. A bed. A nightstand and a brown chest were all that occupied it. Scattered all over were small and big pieces of shrapnel, some embedded into whatever was in their way when the explosion hit. Some pieces joined a few traces of broken glass to create a hostile work environment.
Because the dead guy slumped back in a chair wasn't enough.
Happy to find the brown chest unlocked and uncomplicated, Margharette dove in to gather some documents. Instead, what she found was far more valuable. A thorough supply of drugs. From potions to herbs and everything in between.
"... a fair consolation prize from Lady Luck."
Her words were spoken with reverence even through the onslaught of pains and aches that now slammed into her. Dark, blue eyes glistened with the spark of hope.
Temporary salvation.
The chest was taken after rummaging through the rest of the cabin for the legendary papers. Alleged papers.
But the survey said that was a lie.
Carrying the spoils of war, Margharette left the gruesome scene behind and headed for a nearby hill where a tree and a ram patiently awaited her return. Once the goods were secured, the reigns untied and her bottom rested comfortably over the saddle, Marge guided her rented transportation to their next point of interest. Somewhere she could dispose of her more than suspicious clothing before making it to a settlement. The rest of the journey would simply have to be made under the protection of a thick blanket.
The snow continued it's gentle bathing of the mountains and hills. And as she went over a tall one, the woman was taken back several years into the past. To a place with a climate similar to this one. Where the greater dangers hid in the cozy homes, holds and estates making up an isolated kingdom. Wanting to shake off the dreadful melancholia, Margharette reached into the saddle's large bag. There, she found a bottle of rum. It was uncorked and a large chug taken from it. Tired from the battle of body and mind, her soul sought to find peace wherever it could.
"Tick. Tock."
@mister-reigns not just for mentions but for building a world and letting Marge play in it.
This post contains clues that can link to this previous crime. Any and all detectives or guards are more than welcome to investigate.
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