Allyk & Meridia, the Tinker and the Mage

In a musty and not-often used room in the zeppelin tower in Tirisfal Glade sits a female blood elf meditating on an obviously second-hand couch. An undead male has just entered the room and sits on the other couch.

For anyone else who might have been in this room, several long, uncomfortably awkward moments pass while the two individuals ignore each other. After about an hour, a diverse group of individuals is escorted in by a goblin: an orc, undead, troll, and tauren.
"Here it is!" The goblin tells the newcomer group. "We'll let you know when we're ready to take off." And with that, he leaves.
The group members sit among you. The female orc meets Allyk's eye and nods then sits beside Allyk. She wears heavy metal armor with a shield slung on her back and a wicked looking axe on her hip. She makes small talk with the other undead, a former human male wears leather armor with a pair of daggers who barely looked at Allyk.
Beside Meridia, both the troll and tauren are robed. The tauren is in earth tones and sports a few small totems along a bandoleer across his chest. The troll has darker robes with sigils and runes on it. Each has a different style staff and besides a polite greeting to Meridia are in quiet contemplation like their couch-mate.

Taking note of Meridia and Allyk's exchange, the tauren turns to Meridia, a female with a friendly and strong but slightly slower speech rhythm to what you're accustomed to from the flowing words of elves. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with your people yet, blood elf. Are you what they call a Magister? I am a shaman of my people. Many of the Horde find the elements and our ancestors to be powerful allies. Perhaps one day your people will join us in that belief."

Meanwhile, the orc beside Allyk chuckles, speaking like most orcs: slightly too loud and almost aggressively. "Don't tell me your body craves such things." She indicates the undead beside her nudging him with a rough elbow. "I've not seen Marek here want for much of anything."

The tauren's peaceful face clinched in concern. "Your studies have paid off well, magister. Shamanism is part request and part guidance. This is true for both the shaman and the powers we revere. I regret to say I was ignorant of your people's needs. It may be a long road indeed before the blood elves embrace shamanism." She turns, looking straight ahead, apparently done with that conversation.
Meanwhile, the troll leans forward to catch Meridia's attention. "Don worry. She's a sensitive one. Jur people will find dere own way soon enough. Da Horde helps its own."

"Ju do know much." The troll looks impressed. "But no, dat not be my path. Ju and I be kindred spirits me tinks. Da arcane magics of da world be my choice."

The troll introduces himself as Nu'Jal as he and Meridia discuss their shared passion. It turns out that Nu'Jal was originally part of a diplomatic envoy sent to welcome the Forsaken to the Horde. "I stayed ta learn of da arcane from Lexington Mortaim in de Undercity. Dat be where I met Marek over dere." He nods toward the Forsaken in leather armor sitting with the orc and Allyk.

Marek's smile quickly disappears, seemingly completely uninterested as he stares off into oblivion. However, the orc nods in understanding. "Meat is good. Makes us strong." She then leans in slightly toward you and speaks softly, but you get the feeling it is more like a warning ass she references the Forsaken cannibalistic tendencies. "Just no eating meat of friends."

The conversation in the lounge goes in and out while Allyk seems too meek and Meridia almost straight up refuses to acknowledge the two undead in the room. The other four newcomer adventurers include the other two almost not at all. THey become so loud everyone almost doesn't notice an out of breath goblin holding a blunderbuss suddenly running into the room. "Hey! Any of you fools wanna help out here?!" He turns and runs off. Now that the room is quiet, you notice the commotion coming from outside, down on the ground. Rushing outside, everyone prepares for battle. Looking down from the balcony, you see several groups of gnolls surrounding the tower. "It's the Rothide!" You hear some goblin shout out. Everyone begins to move into position, the troll and tauren Meridia sat with make their way to another platform, leaving Meridia and Allyk alone up high.

From the relative safety of the balcony, you see 4 gnolls right below you, with other groups of the canine creatures surrounding the tower. Goblins take up defensive positions, some up on balconies and others on the ground. You spot the orc and undead from the lounge join the goblins on the ground. Each group of gnolls seems to have two of its members defending one with a crossbow and one casting spells at the tower itself and its guards. You also notice that these gnolls are undead.

Meridia's firebolt is reflected off one of the gnoll guard's shield as Allyk's bullet is driven into the ground at the feet of the undead beasts. A bark of laughter erupts from the few gnolls that notice you. The spellcaster launches magical energy at the tower, making it shudder. The same must be happening all around, judging from the way the tower continues to shudder. A crossbow bolt whizzes by Allyk's head. Nearby, you notice the other groups being assaulted by the guards in hand-to-hand combat with no easy victory coming soon.

Still playing conservatively with her mana, Meridia hurls another orb of fire on the gnolls below.

Meridia's firebolt slams into the chest of the spellcaster of the group, the undead gnoll's own spell being lost in the panic of putting out the fire beneath his face.
Allyk aims true to the same creature's head. The force of which almost breaks it's neck backward, and it slumps to the ground.
You can see the other group of gnolls being hacked away by the orc, undead, and goblins, and the shuddering of the tower has lessened, on this side at least. You hear a ping! as a crossbow bolt completely misses you and ricochets off a nearby wall, bouncing to the floor.

Meridia's firebolt slams into a gnoll still trying to defend its crossbow firing companion. Just then, the ground teams engage your targets. The gnoll with the crossbow begins to run away and you see others of its kind have fled into the dark forest.

The troll and tauren join you on your platform, surveying the ground on this side of the tower. "Looks like we got dem on da run." The same goblin that called you out of the lounge runs up to your group, more out of breath than before. "Hey thanks!" He leans on his rifle, "They don't normally get this close to us. Either the Undercity guards are preoccupied, or they're still mad at us for letting that Human Mage use the zepplin." He rubs a ghost pain on his neck, "Boy, she packed a whallop."
More of the tower's defenders make their way up your level, congratulating themselves. All the passengers are together on this platform when a goblin in an overly garish outfit calls everyone to attention. Meridia recognizes this to be the goblin in charge. "Yes, yes! Thank you! Thank you!" He sounds like a mayor about to put on a pompous speech. "You've all done a great service to us today. It is rare we find ourselves under direct attack from the Rothide gnolls, but it seems fortune smiles on the brave. Let's hear it for our brave protectors!" Cheers erupt from around you as the goblins applaud, cheer, and slap you on the back. Once it all quiets down, the goblin leader calls out again. "In thanks, we would like to offer you free passage on this trip, and half off on your next." Amid the cheers, you hear a few gasps of disbelief as goblins surely feel like their profits will take a hit.
Things calm down and you all go back to the lounge, assured that the zepplin will be ready in about a hour.

The hour passes by quietly, with the exception of the other passengers with their own clique conversation. Pretty soon you hear "ALL ABOARD!" shouted from outside. Upon boarding the zeppelin, you realize it's larger than you expected. Taken below deck past several goblins working on last minute tasks, you're shown your private rooms. They are Spartan in furnishings and you are told your trip will take only 5 days thanks to their new Turbo-Charged XL Mark 7 engines - the goblin proudly proclaims before leaving you all to your own devices.

Allyk and Meridia spend time in their respective rooms, apparently wanting nothing to do with other passengers, crew, etc. Their 5 day journey is quiet, being in the air over the Great Sea. Land is spotted, signaling your approach to Durotar. It seems this area is better defended than the air dock in Tirisfal Glades. No beasties but a few wild boars can be seen. Disembarking, you notice many Horde guards around. A trio of orcs wearing the tabard of Orgimmar approach Meridia and Allyk as soon as you both leave the air dock. "Throm-Ka. Hold a moment. You come from across the sea? An Alliance stowaway came last time. We've put more guards here. Have you seen any of the scum?"

I mostly kept to myself on the trip, and only saw a few of the people who boarded, and I doubt a Tauren, Orc or Forsaken is likely to be serving the alliance. And I would never betray Silvermoon. The final phrase was spoken with perhaps too much emphasis, though the message was still clear. If you are interested in catching alliance spies perhaps I could be of service. I need to infiltrate Ashenvale, I guess I could perform some counter espionage while I'm there.

"Your loyalty is not questioned, blood elf. Your people hold no love for the Alliance, especially humans like the mage that made her way through here." The orc eyes Allyk trying to slink away. "Hold." The other two orcs move to block the undead's path. "Ashenvale. Yes, the mage could go there for protection by the night elves." Reaching into his pack, he hands over a scroll sealed with the symbol of the Horde. "You are both enlisted by to secure our borders. We can't be having humans crossing our lands freely. Should you find this mage or other Alliance breaching our borders, take them and this scroll to any officer of the Horde to receive your reward."
Continue here.