Deepholm: The Realm of Earth Part Three: Finding the Forgemaster

This is an episodic article that I will write and update as I progress through the newly released zone: Deepholm. Not very much is known about the storyline of Deepholm compared to that of Hyjal and Vashj'ir so I figured that this would be a good way to tell it as I progress through the zone, thereby leaving the experience and story fresh in my mind.

Maruut is happy with the discoveries that we've made. However, it has not given us the fragment that we seek. Not yet. Maruut performs a spell that binds our spirits together so that we can commune over great distances and sends me to Deathwing's Fall to try and find out who this forgemaster is. Seer Kormo wants me to bring him some samples from the oozes there as well. And so I am off to Deathwing's Fall.

As I arrive at Deathwing's Fall, Maruut tells me that this surely is the location where the fragment was brought. He also tells me that the cultists here are using foul magic to animate the blood of Deathwing, causing it to become alive. This explains why Kormo wants a sample of these grotesque creatures. The process of animating this blood is done by cultists called "Bloodshapers" and Maruut suggests that I slay some of them and try to find any clues as to who the Forgemaster is.

After killing a bloodshaper I find a set of Twilight Orders that detail how the Twilight's Hammer are using slaves to mine for them. These slaves surely know where The Forgemaster is and Maruut suggests that I rescue six of them and hope for them to give me any clues.

One of these clues appears to be really helpful. One of the slaves tells me that The Forgemaster keeps a record of all his meetings in a journal at top of a tower overlooking Deathwing's Fall. By finding his journal I might be able to eavesdrop on his next meeting and both discover the location of the Fragment but also discover the identity of the Forgemaster.

The tower is not very high but is a grotesque construction overlooking the entire area. The journal is here, just where the slave said they would be. The latest entry states that the next meeting will be in an area called the Upper Silvermarsh, a great bog that lies to the north-east of Deathwing's fall.

As I arrive in Upper Silvermarsh, I notice a small Twilight's Hammer camp, protecting by two big ogre-guards. I surely don't want to catch their attention so I start looking for a disguise or something to hide under in order to eavesdrop on the meeting and perhaps discover the location of the fragment. Maruut suggests that I kill a few of the local stone-troggs and search for some of the crates they might have left in the area.

Not a bad idea, so I start slaying the little bastards until I discover a crate in one of their camps. Perfect! I put the crate on my head and realize that I'll have to keep the rest of my body under the water in order to not be recognized.

I approach the meeting and jump into a nearby lake just as the meeting is about to begin. As one of the ogres announce the arrival of High Priestess Azil, the Forgemaster steps forward. I am shocked when I realize that I am indirectly responsible for the appearance of the Forgemaster here. Before me stands Millhouse Manastorm, the foulmouthed gnome that I freed in The Arcatraz a couple of years ago. How could you, Millhouse? I liked you so much! I realize that it is too late to save him from the grasp of the Twilight's Hammer and continue to eavesdrop on the meeting.

Manastorm tells High Priest Azil that the fragment is now in a dragon's custody. So we're hunting a dragon. High Priestess Azil congratulates Manastorm on a well-executed operation. Just as she is about to leave, Millhouse brings up how the Priestess managed to infiltrate the alliance airship. She laughs and walks away while telling him that she "has friends in high places."

After the meeting, Maruut contacts me again. He tells me that the dragon they are speaking of is a stone dragon known as Abyssion.

And so the dragon hunt begins..