My Home
My home. The place where I learned all I know. To fight, the arcane, everything. The place where I built a family. The place where my husband passed. The place where I saw the Alliance and the Horde come together to save my homeland. Where I left in order to learn as much about the world as I possibly can.
My name is quite ironic. Xiaoren. 小人. It generally means somebody who makes mischief, someone who acts only for personal gain. When I was a child, I caused a lot of trouble for my parents. Breaking things, running away, all of that. In spite of that, I have grown to be, I hope, quite the caring and proper person.
I have very fond memories of the Wandering Isle. However, life is short. You never know when it will end. So I will venture out. I will see all there is to see, speak to all those to speak to, draw all there is to draw. I will show Junsei the kindness and diversity of the world, that he can be who he wants to be and do what he wants to do.
The Capital
After I arrived to Stormwind, I wandered for a while. I found many beautiful areas - The Mage Quarter, Lion's Rest, and Cathederal Square. I found an inn within the Trade District that would allow me and Junsei to sleep there in exchange for some help here and there. Eventually, in Cathedral Square, I ran into a fellow Pandaren, Taishi. We bonded over our shared neutrality between the Alliance and the Horde. It was nice to speak and hear familiar speech in such an unfamiliar city. He told me than an inn somewhere in Stormwind has recently earned the nickname of "Little Pandaria", although we were both not sure of its location.
This place is truly fascinating. All kinds of people, from all walks of life. Many shops, inns, everything you could want. It will act as a good hub for my adventures. I could explore this city for years and I'm sure I wouldn't even scratch the secrets it holds. There's a dock here too, with ships going to all kinds of places. And in the Mage Quarter, a portal that leads to even more portals! I can go wherever I please, it's just a matter of deciding where interests me most.
Familiar and Unfamiliar Faces
Stormwind became somewhat overwhelming, so me and Junsei decided to take a small trip. After browsing over my map, we landed on Booty Bay, in Stranglethorn Vale. It seemed to offer a good balance of being by the ocean and being somewhat quiet, although this was as a result of some apparent shady business. After arriving, I met yet another fellow Pandaren, Dae, who happened to be the boy I heard kept setting things on fire back home when I was young. It seemed that he has better control over this now, and is looking to get help fixing it, but to no avail. I decided that my first journey will be to the mainland of Pandaria.
I met another interesting group of people too, mainly speaking to a fox-like person (known as "Vulpera") about it. This group seemed to be, as this Vulpera described, some kind of "adventuring club", who helps those in need when they come across them. Vulpera are a part of the Horde, which naturally led me to assume this group does not take sides between factions. Perhaps I may join them on some kind of journey one day...
The Decision
Not too long after I came to Stormwind, I met a Gnome woman called Chromie. She told me that she could help me travel back in time to experience the history of this world myself. To learn by being there. To become what I believe is called a "timewalker". This appealed to me. For a short while, I began preparing to dive into this history. But when I was in Booty Bay, when I first met Dae and was talking about this very concept, he gave me some advice. He told me not to meddle with the past. That people have already done so, documented all there is to document. That some venture into the past, only to get stuck there forever, unable to leave. He told me instead to seek out those known as "lorewalkers". Those who, if I understand correctly, have already learned all there is to know about specific times in the past, and retell these stories for all to understand without the risk of traveling back in time.
So, after thinking about Junsei, after meeting some very nice people in Booty Bay, I have decided. I will not venture into the past. I will not risk my life trying to learn what others have already risked theirs to uncover. After losing his father, I cannot allow Junsei to also lose his mother. So I will explore the present. Document all there is. See all there is. To keep us safe.
Initial Exploration, And Another Decision
I heard tales of a beautiful area not too far away from Stormwind, roughly north east. So I decided today would be the day. The day I decide to venture out and see the world. I wandered through Elwynn Forest, Junsei by my side. And came to the Redridge Mountains. This area seemed somewhat more dangerous, somewhat more barren. I was scared. Not for myself, but for Junsei. However, we managed to push forward, my knowledge of the arcane protecting us.
And then we came further north. To the Burning Steppes. I was not prepared for what I saw. I don't think anybody can be. A hellscape. Demon-like beings everywhere. Pure destruction, dust in the air. A horrible, horrible place so dangerous I didn't even have time to sketch it. I eventually came to a small outpost called Morgan's Vigil. A small group of people surviving next to the ruins of a tower. It became clear to me here, this world is truly not as kind as I thought it was. Danger lurks at every single corner. Luckily, in Morgan's Vigil, was a "flight point". Rentable flying eagle-lion beings who could take us safely back to Stormwind.
As we returned, I began to ponder. If the world is this dangerous, can I truly in good conscience bring Junsei with me to experience it?
No. No I can not. After speaking with him about it, we came to a decision. Junsei would remain in Stormwind, training under some fellow Pandaren I had met, to become a Monk. He always wanted to be a Monk. Even back on the Wandering Isle, it is all he wanted. So, in order to experience the world, and share as much of it as I can with him, he will remain safely in Stormwind. I, on the other hand, will venture out. My knowledge of the arcane has grown as of late, and I feel that with time, I will be able to protect myself from whatever dangers I face.