A request featuring a client's nightborne OC and the lovely naga, Lady/Baroness Vashj.
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Bones crunched like sand beneath Vreth's boots as he entered into the Undying Army camp situated near the Theater of Pain within central Maldraxxus. Above him, the noxious grey-green sky churned putridly while all about him figures of death wandered about: skeletal figures exchanged idle chatter, deformed beasts of burden gorged themselves on carrion, and hulking muscular giants shrouded in hoods sparred ferociously with each other, the rattling of their blades ensuring that there was never a silent moment within the grisly bivouac. He had seen all of it before, so much so that he no longer paid them any attention. Striding his way deeper into the camp—a war camp, though the distinction was unnecessary in this land of death and conflict as every camp was suited for war—he made his way towards the quartermaster and collected his rightful reward. It wasn't much but the hardships the Maldraxxians faced were not so difficult for a warrior such as he, and so it was no trouble at all to do the tasks they assigned to him.
Stashing the small pouch of gold he had received within his backpack, Vreth turned and went about his business within the camp, tending to mundane shopping duties as he resupplied himself with potions and food for his mount. He himself hadn't an appetite for Maldraxxian cuisine and though his mount ate what he gave her—fruits the merchants always assured him—she seemed to do so with a dour look in her eyes. Shrugging away his mount's culinary misgivings, Vreth turned around and nearly bumped into a tall figure with four arms and a tail instead of legs.
"Vreth... one of the few people I'm happy to see wander into our camp these days." Lady—no, Baroness Vashj—stood in front of him, her voice colubrine with every 's' exaggerated.
"My Lady." He bowed his head respectfully. "It's good to see you. I dare say that you're the only pleasant thing to look at in this camp, if not the entirety of Maldraxxus." A true enough statement, though perhaps not as impactful given the competition.
Vashj inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment of his compliment. "You sell yourself short, Maw Walker," she hissed appreciatively.
"Perhaps, but my statement stands... Or would you disagree?" He smiled and she returned it with a raised brow. She was rather fond of his forwardness.
"Of course not," she said, turning and signaling for him to follow. "Walk with me."
Vreth fell into step beside her, amused for a moment over her choice of words considering her distinct lack of legs. His amusement quickly dissolved however, and he took to wondering as to why the Baroness had so deliberately sought him out.
"You took care of Kel'thuzad's forces?" she asked.
"Hours ago."
"And the battle plans?"
"Here you are, Lady." He proffered the sealed documents, three in total, but she held up one boney hand and shook her head.
"Hold onto them a little while longer; you can deliver them to my quarters yourself." The soldiers within the camp parted for the Baroness as she moved, stepping out of the way and saluting her. They ignored him with a cold indifference. Suited him just fine.
"Is that where we're going, then?" he asked.
"It's the most private place here and we'll be free of any prying eyes or ears," she said, her skeletal tail undulating and her powerful shoulders rowing through the heavy air. "We have matters to discuss and I would not have our conversations leaked."
"You don't trust your people?"
"I don't take unnecessary risks," she hissed, flinty eyes darting around wildly and clearly agitated by the idea of spies hiding amongst the camp. "There are always spies in military camps, nightborne. And if they're any good at their job you'll never know of them," she lectured.
"You're a shrewd woman, Baroness," he said with an approving nod.
A faint smile touched her face. "Thank you."
Shortly thereafter, Vashj led him into a wide, square building, the outside of which was purple and festooned with an odd swirling pattern. Clearly not macabre enough at that point for the Maldraxxians, it was also decorated by a trim of large gnarly bones with a gem set into one at the very top of the building. It glowed a faint green and seemed to resonate with power, though he knew not of it's purpose. A large door of an unknown metal barred their entry; it lacked a handle but with a quick wave of one of the Baroness' many hands it flew open as if a hurricane of force had shoved it inwards. Following her inside, he was greeted by a frigid yet pleasant scent that seemed to cool his nostrils and clear his mind. Further inspection revealed a number of potted plants that seemed to be thriving despite a distinct lack of sunlight... or whatever light it was that touched upon the Shadowlands.
"Won't you sit down?" she asked, gesturing again with one of her hands towards a table and chair.
Vreth did as she asked, seating himself upon an ivory chair of carved bone that was furnished with a plush lining of some type of cotton-like fibre. It was comfortable but much too big for him and the armrests extended out of his reach, prompting him to lean onto the table instead. He looked just a tad ridiculous within the giant chair.
"Forgive me, Maw Walker; most of my guests tend to be oversized skeletons and the like. You know how it is here," Vashj spoke with poorly concealed amusement.
"Yes, wonderful conversationalists I'm sure," he said with a touch of humor in his voice. Vashj hissed an airy chuckle at this and he watched her as she sat down—if it could even be called that, for her chair had a curling slope about it that allowed her to more easily coil herself upon it rather than sit.
"Now then," she said, all businesslike as she steepled both sets of her bony hands over the table. "How about those documents?"
Over the greater part of the next hour she quickly debriefed him, latching onto every detail she thought to be useful before finally going over the enemy battle plans with him. He was no strategist but she sought his counsel anyways, nodding along as he spoke, bouncing ideas off of him and on more than one occasion cursing her enemies in a fit of anger only to quickly become giddy as she discovered a weakness they could exploit. When they were finished she seemed pleased, and her eyes shined with a determined ferocity.
"I'm glad I found you before Draka did, Maw Walker. You're easier to talk to than she is, though I suppose I'll still have to go over this with her." The thought of convening with Draka seemed to sour her mood for a moment, though it quickly passed and her emboldened look returned.
"Please, call me Vreth. I'm not one for titles," he said.
"I am," she replied loftily, "but you may call me Vashj."
"A name more noble than any title," he said, bowing his head sarcastically.