#patch 6.2.3

[This letter was received shortly before Pilgrim's Bounty by Lauren Kensington at Westguard Keep after her return from Draenor. It was sealed with the mark of the Wildhammer Clan.]

Dearest Lauren,

Imagine my relief when I got your package with your "Draenor Journals" inside! Praise the Light you came back from the expedition with just a few broken bones. There wasn't a doubt in my mind no Iron Horde would be a match for your hammer and shield!

Your new allies, the Templars, sound interesting. I hope I meet them someday - we can sit by the fire and tell stories and raunchy jokes over a barrel or two of ale. Just like the old days, eh?

Speaking of the old days, my brother will be visiting me soon. I'll be back at Hearthglen, though - normally I'd be at the chapel, but, well...you know how Khazarath feels about Light's Hope. To be fair, some of the Order aren't too fond of him either. You remember what happened last time. But you know what I always say, us Redbraids stick together. You'd think after a few years past Icecrown, people'd remember the Ebon Blade are on our side.

Ah, but look at me ramblin'. I'm glad you're back home, Lauren. Light knows I missed you. Come back up here sometime once you get yourself sorted. Highlord Fordring comes by every few weeks or so pacing around and looking all grim and serious, and I think it's catching. I could stand to see a sunnier face.

Light bless and keep you, and may the ancestors watch over you, Kem Redbraid

*  *  *  *  *

[The next letter was received by Lauren two days after the first, urgently delivered to her by a Wildhammer gryphon rider.]

Lauren-

You need to come back to Hearthglen as soon as you can. Khazarath's got important news and it doesn't bode well. We need you.

To Justicar Dawnfield-

I've received a letter from Ambassador Redbraid detailing the events of Marksman Wildsabre's tribunal. Thank you for welcoming him under the dire circumstances, and I hope he contributed with his line of questioning. I hope he wasn't too long-winded.

On the matter of my absence, I've been in touch with several old friends and colleagues in Hearthglen and elsewhere. A gnome warlock of my acquaintance has recently felt reticence from her summoned demons to serve her. My friend Eyanna, a druid of the Cenarion Circle, has felt a kind of unease within the Emerald Dream. I've heard rumblings from our fellow paladins that even Highlord Fordring seems on edge lately.

I don't know just yet what all of this means, but I fear something terrible may be on the horizon. I'll be keeping a journal of what I find and will share it with you and our fellow Templars when we meet again. Light willing, that day will come soon.

Warmest regards in the Light,

Lauren Kensington of the Argent Crusade

To Justicar Dawnfield-

As you know, I have been unable to participate in official Templars business for some time due to unexpected obligations in Hearthglen, which I intend to tell you about when my duties are complete.

However, word has reached me that our friend and colleague Kanta Wildsabre has been accused of murder. While I cannot be there to defend Marksman Wildsabre, I am sending my colleague Khazarath Redbraid, a Knight of the Ebon Blade, in my stead to observe the proceedings. He is unaffiliated with the Rose and is a true neutral party, and I would like to nominate him as a juror if the jury has not yet been selected. I can speak for his character as a noble Dwarf who fought alongside me during the War in Northrend years ago, and continues to fight his own darker impulses as a Death Knight. I believe that as someone without ties to either the Templars or the Blood (his sole allegiance is to the Ebon Blade), he would serve as a more impartial party than I would.

Regardless, I hope you will welcome Ambassador Redbraid as my friend and ally, and recognize that he is there to assist you as my representative during the trial. He will be at Amberpine Lodge in Grizzly Hills if you wish to meet.

Warmest regards in the Light, Lauren Kensington of the Argent Crusade

"If your own order or family has sustained losses in these dark times..."

Lauren Kensington didn't make it past those words on the invitation before her eyes welled up again. She understood the Justicar's reason for holding the service that evening, but Lauren couldn't bring herself to attend. There was another place she needed to be.

She knew, she knew in her very soul, that her father was with the Light. At peace. Years had passed since his second death. She'd had time to mourn. To heal. And for the most part, she had.

For the most part.

Memories of Pilgrim's Bounties past flooded her head as she folded up the invitation and brushed a stray lock of jet-black hair back from her face. She sat astride her horse, gazing out over the plague-ruined landscape. Haunted Andorhol lay to the south; north, Hearthglen and the comfort of the Argent Dawn's hospitality. She'd seek shelter there before dusk, but for now...

Not a trace remained of the old Kensington farm. Not so much as a splinter of wood or a blade of corngrass. It was dust, and might well always be that way. The druids at Mender's Stead still, to this day, toiled to coax life back from the ravages of the Scourge with minimal success.

But they could never, ever bring back what Lauren had lost. A warm hearth, the company of neighbors, a plump wild turkey roasted to perfection, soft squares of cornbread, and the ever-present love of the only family she'd ever had. All gone. Dust, like the land itself. The Scourge had taken it all.

It would never, never happen again.

While I slave away at various IRL commitments (I won’t bore you with the details), we have had some more updates from @WarcraftDevs on tweetah about our dear Mistweaver spec. In between everything that is going on, my guild finally took down Tyrant Velhari mythic, after way too many tries, of which most were quick resets. RNG is strong in that fight. But on to the news! New tweets: I have heard…