World Tree MUSH

    Peacely is a small hamlet built around a rather large fortress. Though the population of roughly 100 folk are mostly hobbits and halflings, the little village is a favored tourist spot for humans and elves. Though the resulting tension building between the locals and all the outsiders is getting higher lately, the little hamlet has other problems.
    Adventurers have found a portal to the Abyss lurking under the town's newly built well. That's pretty bad.
    One of said adventurers is currently relaxing in the local inn and tavern, The Warm Hearth. She's a young girl, dressed in the fine clothes of a noble, though she's wrapped tightly in the folds of a hooded cloak, the hood drawn up to hide her face as she sits at one of the inn's multiple tables, running her fingers over the axe set in her lap.
    It's a simple tool; a woodcutter's axe, made to fell trees and saplings, but there's something odd about it. The vibrant shimmer and shine of the metal says that the tool has been recently worked by the local smith- the weapon has been coated in silver and sharpened to a keen edge. An edge the girl tests with her thumb before running a whetstone over it with a soft 'shink... shhink... shhhiiink...' as she hums quietly to herself.

 
 If adventure is calling one can be sure that a certain Mountain King will heed that call. Enter Muradin Brozebeard, thane of Khaz Modan, who is not a stranger to the perilous adventurous journey himself. After running around the tree mostly just checking things out, it is high time that he gets his own axe wet as he would say, and when news of a portal to the Abyss reached his ears, he made certain to head out immediately towards this place called Peacely. Yes indeed, while the Tree had offered him great and strange sights, this is actually something that fairly resembles his home of Azeroth and Muradin strides into the little hamlet with a certain familiarity to his step. "Ey mate! Ello there!" The jolly dwarf walked and merrily waved to all the halfling villagers as well as some humans and elves. This really felt like he was back home, familiar buildings and technology and the sensation of magic in the air. Muradin was no caster, but he had magic of his own, and when you have been exposed to magic as long as he has been you just.. knew.. when you were in the presence of it. 
 
 But even more familiar than magic and medieval technology was the ever present need to drink some ale!! Muradin would be remiss to undertake any adventure proper without getting a good pint or two before tackling monsters from the Abyss. Thus, the dwarf dutifully made his way towards the local inn and barrelled through the door, already planning on hailing the bartender for some service. "Oi! Barkeep! I got a mighty thirst for some ale over 'ere!!" Bellowed the muscled dwarven warrior as he ambled around. Waiting for his pint to be brought over, Muradin's eye was caught by the strange sight of a very small girl dressed in elegant finery, testing the blade of what appeared to be a lumberjack axe. Well, that was a strange sight indeed, and one that Muradin might have been willing to overlook if he hadn't felt the strangeness from said axe, this girl wasn't just holding the axe for her father to come back or some such, there was something very odd about this picture. Something that needed investigating. 
 
 "Oi there lassie, that's a mighty fine axe ye got there!" Muradin approached the girl, hoping to make small talk to get to the bottom of this without making too many assumptions. 

    Dwarves seem to be a bit more well taken to than the taller folk that have been making quite the influx into the little hamlet lately. Be it their squat stature or their general jovial nature, Muradin is welcomed a little better into the town than most adventurers; recieving nods and waves of greeting as he passes.
    Though for a small hamlet, Peacely is moderately modernized as well. The town has cell reception, and the inn even has wifi. Some of the visitors are in jeans and more modern clothes compared to the locals, but this is a mild sidenote. It's still a halfling hole, which means the place is quite warm, cozy, and all about good manners and custom.
    Muradin recieves his ale in short order, which leaves him with the girl, who, for a moment longer has her eyes focused on the keen cutting edge of the weapon on her lap.
    Glancing up a beat later, she dips her head in a nod of greeting; knowing full well how Dwarves place a great deal of importance on honor and respect, she replies in kind.
    "It is for hunting demons, master dwarf." She explains matter of factly, holding the tool up to show the fine work of the recently silvered blade and the recently re-laquered shaft that does nothing to hide the time-telling stains of old blood that has sunken deep into the wood.

 
 Wow! Color Muradin impressed with the town's modernization. Thankfully he has been walking around the tree long enough that he is not completely flabbergasted by the concept, but he is certainly taken a little back when he looks up a sign in the inn that has the wifi password and so forth. Talk about rapidly adapting settings. Once again, his very industrially geared mind thinks of how much the Alliance could benefit from having such devices, but he lets those thoughts slide off for now as he focuses on more important things. Namely; his ale! Talk about good service, he is certain to leave a good review for the inn, but obviously more importantly is the matter of the girl with the silver axe. 
 
 Muradin's eyes all but widen when the girl declares her profession, something tells him that this girl is very serious and this isn't just some All Hallow's Eve cosplaying or some such. Its the silver polish of the axe that truly tips him off, there is simply no way someone would spend so much money to get the real thing instead of a prop, plus no to mention the amount of research required to know that silver is for demon, only people in the know are aware of how to properly go about demon killing. A simple cosplayer wouldn't really know about such things. 
 
 "So, yer a demon hunter aye?" Says the dwarf with some incredulence before taking a good long gulp of his ale. This is quite a surprise, so much in fact that he actually goes and joins Anna on her table, sliding a chair and taking a seat in front of her. 
 
 "I feel I need to be the responsible adult here and ask wot's a young lassie like ye doing taking up such a dangerous profession." His bushy eyebrows furrow as he notices the faint blood smears on the blood handle, now able to tell for certain that this girl has been using this axe to kill demons alright. He can almost smell the stench from where he sits. It reminds him of the Legion. 
 
 "Name's Muradin, by the way. Muradin Bronzebeard." He introduces himself in hopes of not looking like a stranger. 
 

    It's no cosplay. Though Anna is full well aware of the holiday of All Hallow's Eve, and how close it is, this girl isn't dressing up for the sake of that, oh no. And when Muradin moves to sit at her table, the noblegirl dips her head in a gracious nod, indicating he is welcome to do so if he so chooses.
    The axe certainly is no prop, either. That's real silver, those are real bloodstains, the edge is killingly sharp. And the girl sets it to rest on the table in front of her as she reaches for the faintly steaming cup of tea she had ordered for herself to take a slow sip before setting it back down and folding her hands together upon her lap.
    "By both necessity and by choice." The girl explains her occupation. Yes, a demon hunter, that's a good way to describe what she does. But what, indeed, is a girl like her doing in such a deadly occupation, the dwarf asks?
    "Demons killed my tribe." She explains. "It was a slaughter. I witnessed it with my own eyes, and when it was over I vowed I would kill every last one of the creatures responsible, right up to their very lord and master." She says, fingers curling tightly into the ruffles of her dress, knuckles turning white with a barely suppressed fury.
    "Anna." That is her own introduction. "Anna Primrose of Rosalia."
    That. That's the same name as the princess rumored to have gone missing just a week ago from that kingdom. If Muradin pays attention to such rumors.

 
 Certainly no cosplay indeed. An amateur might have foolishly assumed that this girl was just dressing up for Halloween, a very famous holiday that even extends to Azeroth itself, but Muradin is no upstart adventurer, he can recognize that it is real silver- heck, he can smell the metal. The blood. The sharp, very real blade. Yes, this girl is the real deal, and yet, there is something so very wrong about a girl that is essentially a child armed to the teeth and dressed in finery like that. It is not something Muradin can simply ignore and move on, his conscience would not forgive him for just letting it be. 
 
 "By necessity--?" Muradin blurts out all too quickly, seemingly ready to challenge the girl right there. There is no need for necessity when the town has real adventurers now like him. There's no need for such a girl to pick up arms! If its a lack of warriors that is making her fight, then she can rest easy knowing Muradin is now here to take care of it. 
 
 But then, the girl elaborates, and Muradin's eyes lose their determination. Ah, now it all makes sense. Demon hunters usually have such grim backgrounds, and if demons killed this girl's family then there's very little anyone can do to help her, other than assist her in the path of vengeance. "Sod.." Muradin's lips pursed and his broad shoulders sag, sinking in his chair. Perhaps he was too late, if he had shown up sooner maybe this girl's family would still be alive, but the Tree is vast, and he is but a newcomer, he can't be everywhere at once 
 
 He sits there silently for a bit before exhaling. "Every dwarf knows how important swearing an oath can be." He says at last. "If yer determined to take this path, I canna dishonor ye by trying to talk ye out of it." He notices the thinly veiled rage from the girl, as the very thought of demons appears to drive her into a rage. There is no way he could convince her otherwise, he knows that look, that determination. It almost reminds him of Arthas.. when he was so determined to kill Malganis for what he did to his people. 
 
 It sets Muradin's frown even deeper. He cannot let it happen. He cannot let another Arthas story unfold. 
 
 "But I can help ye." He offers. "I'm here to deal with the portal business meself. If yer heading down there, I'd be glad to lend ye assistance to take yer revenge against those that hurt ye." Maybe then the girl can know some peace, and maybe, he can avert another descent into darkness like what happened to his apprentice. 
 
 As Anna introduces herself, Muradin recognizes the name quite well, he indeed keeps up with the rumors. "So yer the missing princess.. heh, now it's all making sense." He nods to her and smirks, "Well met, lassie. I figured I'd run into ye eventually if I wandered 'round these parts long enough." 
 

    That is correct. By necessity and by choice. Though Muradin's tone raises by several outraged octaves, the girl remains calm in the face of the shocked dwarf; half-lidded green eyes staring for a silent beat.
    "I cannot remain in one place for very long." She elaborats. "They hunt me as I in turn hunt them. They are likely to simply appear anywhere I go, at any time." She adds. The demons are out for her life, out for her blood, and her tribe was probably just caught in the crossfire of such an attempt, which no doubt weighs down heavily on those slim shoulders.
    "I have read of the weight that dwarves place on honor and respect." She says. "If you are here to help with the portal under the town, my party intends to close the portal within a day from now. Another blade and a good arm to swing it would be welcome."
    But then comes the topic of her lineage. And the girl gently raises a finger to her lips. "I would much prefer it if that not come up. I have very much to deal with as it is, and someone attempting to bring me home would... Well, I would not make it very easy on them if they tried."

 
 And hunted too on top of it. Of course, the demons -would- want to finish what they started. Anna's situation seems to worsen by the moment in Muradin's eyes, and yet she remains calm, not necessarily accepting her fate, but more like ready to fight on. In fact, Anna does perhaps welcome the attacks, more opportunities for her to kill demons. If Muradin was in her place that would be his train of thoughts, and he would only move around out of consideration for the people around him, not wanting to allow the demons to add more to their bloody tally. It seems that Anna has thought of everything, cold and calculating. She seems so very young to make be making those decisions, but then again.. Arthas wasn't that old either when he became... that.. 
 
 "Ye have read right, lassie!" Muradin beams proudly, chest puffing and confident grin spreading beneath his bushy, almost golden beard. "We dwarves are all about fulfilling our oaths. Yers is a righteous one and I can say that I too got a bone to pick with demons. It'd be me honor to assit yer and yer party to close this dark portal." Finally! An adventure that Muradin can sink his teeth into! Sure, he's very concerned about helping Anna, and it is the right thing to do to ensure that she emerges victorious over the forces of evil. But man-- had he been itching to crack some skulls! This is going to be good. 
 
 "Right, right, of course!" Muradin chuckles slightly, bringing his hands up in a surrendering motion. "Trust me, I know how it can be getting anything done when yer royalty. Donna worry, yer secret is safe with me." He winked at the girl. Now it was just a matter of sealing the deal then. 
 
 Muradin picked his mug of ale and raised it towards Anna for a toast. His beer to her cup of tea. A right proper dwarven way to assure each other of their loyalty. 
 
 "Let's slay us some bloody demons, aye!?" 

    The fury burns bright in this girl, that much is evident; easy to see in the quiet gleam of emerald eyes. She's not simply rolling over and accepting her situation as the hunted, she's ready and willing to turn that right around on the very monsters that come for her.
    Very well then, though. If Muradin has issue with demons, then Anna has no issue with the mountain king, and she raises her cup, gently clinking it to the mug of ale before taking an almost dainty sip. The deal is settled.
    "Then I will see you under the well very soon, master Bronzebeard."