strictlysupreme Chapter 285 Tarren Mill
Chapter 285 Tarren Mill
Undead guards are almost never named; those that are named must have special duties or official positions.
Perhaps for secrecy and identity verification, or perhaps because names were simply unnecessary, the elite guards of Tarrenmir barely communicated, only exchanging information. They followed orders and maintained strict martial law.
Lorraine originally didn't want to enter Tarren Mill. His plan was to complete the introductory quest for the Frostwolf Scouts, hand in his pledge of loyalty, and then leave this troublesome place.
The so-called 'Starry Land' of Kalimdor still awaits Lorraine's exploration, the second part of her search for her teacher.
Even though my godfather gave me half a month, which is a relatively ample time, I can't just let it slip by.
In fact, Lorraine had already wasted a lot of time climbing Mount Alteran... Now, he wanted to finish the plan as soon as possible and leave.
Little did they know that the undead had a wide network of informants; Talumir was actually guarding the Frostwolf Den from the outside.
Guard the main roads leading to Arathi Highlands, and be wary of Alliance dwarves or Scourge remnants from the Hinterlands, or possibly forest trolls or night elf rangers heading south...
Reports indicate that the Wildhammer dwarves of Hinterlands have received support from Night Elf elite ranger spies.
It's also possible that the druids of Moonglade determined that the forest trolls had been plotting something, and that they were infiltrating the forest under various pretexts, such as investigating the ecological environment, to interfere in the lives of the local primitive tribes.
We can't deal with the trolls and dwarves in the northwest for now; judging from the military reports, the importance of the Frostwolf Den is self-evident.
A large amount of supplies from the Wolf Island transit point were transferred to Tarren Mill, and then transported to Alterac Valley... The remaining resources were then sent to Arathi Basin via air or land routes...
Tarren Mill's perimeter was larger than Lorraine had imagined; the guards had already discovered his presence.
His plan to visit his own people's base one last time failed.
"Your Excellency, the Plague Messenger, please forgive our rudeness. It is the duty of the guards to perform their duties. Everyone must be identified according to the rules. In the front-line war zone, there is a post every five steps and a sentry every three steps. It is our duty... Please do not take offense."
After the guards confirmed Lorraine's identity, their attitude improved considerably.
"It's okay, I'm just passing by... I won't go in... I'll come back later... Can I go now..." Lorraine nodded awkwardly, but he wasn't displeased. On the contrary, he was quite happy that he had gotten the password right this time.
However, time was of the essence, and the sixteenth had already passed, so Lorraine decided to complete the pledge of loyalty in three days.
If things don't work out, we'll have to go back to the city... Just as Lorraine was about to continue wading across the river, another guard blocked the Plague Messenger's path. "Lord Lorraine, High Executor Dasalia of Tarren Mill wishes to see you. Please come with me."
"What? See me? What do you want with me...? I have a mission, I need to go to... the front lines..."
Lorraine's question went unanswered. The three guards were like robots, surrounding him and preventing him from leaving, yet he couldn't bring himself to do anything.
Even though they were clearly on the same side, Lorraine secretly verified the insignia of several people.
These individuals have been identified as members of the frontline guard under the dreadlord Varimathras... led by the so-called High Executor Dazaria, equivalent to the wartime security captain in charge of Tarren Mill... or perhaps of a higher rank, fully responsible for all affairs in Tarren Mill.
The rank is relatively low, roughly equivalent to a level 8 legionary soldier to a level 9 centurion.
Managing military affairs in a separate location...
A centurion is indeed several ranks higher than Lorraine, a quasi-Stone Guardian and a Level 5 Sergeant First Class. At Thurbercher Base, Carlos, the Bat Air Force reconnaissance officer and commander of the ground gravediggers, is also a centurion, working in coordination with the local executive officer to guard the rear.
The senior executives in Tarren Mill were of a higher rank and had more power, and they demanded that he meet with them.
Lorraine couldn't refuse.
The other party was his superior... even if he was the so-called 'plague messenger,' a higher rank can have an absolute advantage.
Protected, or rather coerced, by three elite undead guards, Lorraine reluctantly entered the town of Tarrenmill and headed toward the dilapidated church in the town center.
......
Tarren Mill, Deathknell, Brill, and Thurbercher are the only four military strongholds truly controlled by Undercity.
The Undead Barrier at the entrance to the Western Plaguelands is a temporary camp, relying on the help of members of the Argent Dawn. It is also their recruitment point in Undercity, specifically recruiting adventurers to fight the Scourge in the north.
In terms of style, Tarrenmere is open on all sides and backed by a small river, and its architectural layout is the same as that of Deathstroke and Brier.
They used to be the most populous and prosperous towns in the Kingdom of Lordaeron, and also the places most severely affected by the undead plague.
Even today, one can still see the roadblocks set up by the Scourge to block the undead at the entrance from Tirisfal Glades to the Western Plaguelands. Unfortunately, the undead easily broke through them long ago, advancing all the way to the vicinity of Hillsbrad Foothills today, and even directly destroying the supposedly indestructible Wall of Thoradin.
Following the trail of damage initially caused by ancient trolls, orcish invasions, or ultimately by the Scourge undead, a trail of plague traversed the North, reaching as far as the high elves' Silvermoon City and Sunwell Plateau.
The scars of the plague are deeply etched into the bones, stretching across the entire Kingdom of Lordaeron, like a scythe cleaving the once strongest human kingdom of Lordaeron and the elven empire of Quel'Thalas.
All the human towns along the way have fallen, their inhabitants perished, leaving only the resurrected Forsaken...
Running through this trail of plague are the four formidable strongholds of the Forsaken, the very strongholds Queen Sylvanas reclaimed from the Scourge. The Forsaken's foundation and birthplace...
Tarren Mill is the furthest outpost from Undercity, and also the most important, as it is crucial to the safety of both battlefields.
Alterac Valley is separated by a wall, while the Arathi Basin echoes it from afar...
The Tarren Mill tribe cannot afford to lose it, and the Alliance forces in Southshore are also heavily guarding it.
Towns inhabited by the dead and humans are largely similar: one is a gathering place for the dead, and the other is a haven for the living.
The only difference between the several towns is their topography; the houses have the same structure: a central church, a hostel, several small houses, a cemetery behind, and barns on the outskirts...
Where there is water, there is one more simple dock; where there is no one, there is one more mine or blacksmith shop.
Truly large cities, like Stratholme, can only be found on the flat northern plains.
Most of the towns in Lordaeron are built in mountainous and hilly river valley areas.
......
Lorraine didn't really want to go to Tarren Mill because it felt so familiar... It was as if she had returned to that afternoon sixteen days ago... She had woken up in the family cemetery on the mountainside of Deathstroke Town, beginning her nightmare journey.
Was it a nightmare?
Or is it just a beautiful dream?
A teacher's dream, an apprentice's nightmare...
Upon entering the town, Lorraine noticed that the area around the church was quite lively. Besides the pairs of guards constantly patrolling the area, there were also many other people dressed in various styles. They seemed to be merchants, but also logistics personnel.
There were also orc envoys discussing something with the executive officer...
At the edge of the houses, black smoke still wafted from the blacksmith's shop, and the sound of hammering could be heard from afar, the iron hammer striking the felt, even though it was drizzling in Tarren Mill.
The Hillsbrad Foothills are rainy and mild, and close to the sea...
Southshore is not actually in the South Sea... The South Sea here refers to the bay south of Lordaeron.
For Stormwind, Southshore should strictly be considered a northern border town, a legacy inherited from Lordaeron, and a transit point for aiding refugees. In other words, the real reason for the fierce fighting between the two sides here is its large population, abundant resources, location on a major transportation route, complex terrain, and status as a true strategic location.
Neither the Horde nor the Alliance will give up easily.
The food in Tarren Mill's granary is plentiful for the undead but abundant for the orc warriors!
The food provided by the goblins in Smokewood Ranch is of little use, mostly just fancy snacks; real military rations and weapons still need to be supplied by Tarren Mill. There are also various potions and equipment. Undercity's defensive forces in Tarren Mill are several times larger than those in the other towns and crypts.
Lorraine has discovered that, in addition to the equipping elf reserve soldiers and blacksmiths, there are also quite a few necromancers present...
Passing by an inconspicuous little house, inside were beakers and test tubes bubbling with green light. A wraith in a pointed hat and wearing a mage's robe looked up and met his gaze. Lorraine immediately noticed the same emblem on his own body.
Apothecaries of the Royal Alchemist's Guild, bearing the insignia of the Plaguebringer...
Their level seems to be considerably higher than mine...
"You...stop, don't go..."
In a fleeting glance, the other person called out to Lorraine. Lorraine turned around and looked around, only to realize that the person was indeed calling him, Lorraine.
The three guards stood respectfully at attention, waiting silently, while Lorraine scratched his head, completely bewildered...