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Our intrepid interviewer finds herself first in the home of one Alihandra Farstrider. Having taken up residence in Ironforge, and dropping a fair amount of cash and pulling many favors to get the rather stately home carved into the side of the mountain, I find myself rather warmly welcomed. While the home on the outside seems to be of dwarven make the interior resembles more of the old stone pavilions and temple-like design of the High-elves of Eldre’thalas (Dire Maul). The room is full of trophies: dragon bones, beautiful weapons and armor, trinkets and bobbles found in the depths of places I would never dare to go alone. One wall is covered in Tabards, most of the factions but two that stand out : A black tabard with a red dagger and a blue and white tabard with streaks of lightning. Above the mantle, newly placed, the magics of the Bow of the Betrayer glow just below a blackened wing-like bow.
Sitting in what amounts to a trophy room on imported Darnassian lounges before a warm fire and a setting of tea and snacks, I regard my companions as I try and gain my wits.
My host lounges rather comfortably in a simple pair of twill pants and stylish black shirt, her violet hair pulled into a tail, bangs framing her face. She is short for a Quel’dorei, maybe only about 5’6” and very lithe. Many use the word but it fits, I could wrap both hands easily around each limb – she seems thin but watching her when I arrived she moves like a cat, full of powerful mussels honed for very specific styles of combat and movement. She holds a mug of tea with both hands, regarding me with a cool silver-blue gaze as I try not to stare openly at the marks I can see on her violet tinged skin. The magenta markings on her face are typical of her kind, three claw marks over each side… but it’s the other marks that draw the eye. Most of her right ear is missing, leaving it short and disfigured where it suddenly ends, like it had been bitten off. Around her wrists and ankles, for she has no shoes on, are thick bands of darker skin – scars from being bound. I can see what looks like whip marks, almost like stripes, down the back of her legs and wonder where else they cover. Despite all this she is at ease, in her territory and has agreed to answer my questions honestly.
SY: Thank you for having me and agreeing to this interview Lady Farstrider
Aliha: You’re welcome in my home as a guest and no problem about the interview. Frankly knew one of these was coming around at some point. Just call me Aliha… Lady Farstrider sounds like I should be in a dress sitting at some fancy table in Silvermoon. *Her voice is deep for a woman’s, and she has a soft accent but its very hard to place.*
SY: *soft laugh* All right Aliha it is then. Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself?
Aliha: *pauses to sip at her tea and consider the question* Well I’ve been a Hunter, Marksman specifically, for oh… two and a half years. Since November ‘06. Tried a few of the other paths and well I guess you could say I’m a creature of habit. Currently Level 80, in your terms not mine, and working out of Northrend. Ferren and I have been lots of places, former raiders who dabble in it from time to time but it’s so stressful. Much happier helping folks and factions around the worlds and exploring or finding a good fishin’ spot. I’m a leatherworker by trade, skinner too obviously, but I specialize in Dragonscale work. Rather proud of that actually. I’ve earned the titles of Explorer, Ambassador, ‘Jinkins’, and ‘Dragon’s Bane’. *she smirks at that, eyes going to some of the dragon bones on the wall* Currently with the guild Maelstrom, an officer and while it drives me batty sometimes they’re like family and I just can’t seem to get mad at them for long. I was born the third child to a rather stuffy traditional clan of Priests and Druids… rebelled against the grain and ended up on the wrong side of the argument. Spent a long time on my own making a name for myself. Find myself without much of my family so I kinda built a clan for myself.
SY: You’re an officer in your guild? What made you decide to do that?
Aliha: Well people wanted to do things, you know hit up old raid instances, more gatherings and events and well… no one was stepping forward to try and put them together. I guess you could say I enjoy grabbing what needs to be done and running with it. When it was offered I wasn’t totally sure what it meant but I have a good idea now. *She pauses, rolling her mug in her hands* I am both a member and a guardian of my guild, ensuring the enjoyment and stability of all under our colors. *she gestures to the room* I would have had you in my office upstairs but there’s papers and stuff everywhere.
SY: That’s all right. I like this room. Can you tell me about some of the things here?
Aliha: Sure. The bows above the mantle piece are both from
SY: So you like to collect things?
Aliha: Maybe it’s a Hunter thing, you know to keep trophies. Won’t say I’m bragging, though it sounds like I am, but all this ‘stuff’ marks achievements and changes in my life. I have an issue with memory sometimes and well… physical reminders make me stop to focus and remember. *she fiddles with a necklace that looks like it was of Sin’dorei make.*
SY: I see. Have any ‘trophies’ you’re working on now?
Aliha: Well in the process of trying to get a Green Proto-Drake from the Oracles, a mean fishing pole from the Kalu’ak, and slowly looking for some faction related rewards worth my time. Not really striving to ‘gear up’ more enjoying my time in Northrend. I can say though I’m trying to save money to finally get a Hippogryph from Outlands. First time I saw one, you know a taxi ‘gryph… I wanted one. Just having an issue with gold is all, and I always have I guess.
SY: What’s the one thing you have you could say you are most proud of faction wise?
Aliha: Easy – My Silver War Talbuk Silverbolt. I never want to fight Ogres again but it was worth it.
SY: I’ve noticed two things that really call attention. First off : All this Dragon stuff… and second the Scars on your legs… can you tell me about them?
Aliha: That’s a very personal question really. *she pauses for a while, regarding some things in the room. Standing she goes to a glass case and pulls out what looks like a knife, though when she brings it closer it appears to be a tooth of some kind.* You see, way back when, I ended up under the not so tender mercies of the Twilight Hammer. Was kept, tortured for information, and held as a ‘pet’ for a while. Went out of my mind, retreated back to the beast inside my head. All hunters have one, Beast Masters use it more than most, and Survivalists use its instincts. I left the ‘elf’ in me behind so I could survive and the ‘beast’ took over. * she raises the back of her shirt, showing more stripes across her back.* My entire backside is covered in these marks, they’ve faded but when they first healed up – I looked striped like a Saber. I ended up getting loose and reuniting with Ferren on the outside, got lost for a very long time and frankly if you had asked me a year ago I couldn’t rightly remember most of this. *she twirls the dagger in her fingers as she speaks, tea forgotten on the table.* Ran into a man, a Blood Elf scout with the Farstriders who was sent to observe the Horde, see if it was worth making an alliance with them. I’ll admit to stalking him like prey, never seen an elf like him before. Well eventually he helped patch me back together, I protected him even though I couldn’t talk – wasn’t sane enough. * she smiles wistfully * made him my mate, bore my only child and for a very long time we were happy. *she sighs and leans back into the arm of the lounge* When we tried to cross into the Eastern Kingdoms we ran into serious troubles. Our daughter became plagued by the Scourge and died, barely a teen. I was devastated, so was he. He was trying to find a way to bring me back to my senses while running from the Horde and his own people… so we decided to try and make it to the Dark Portal, maybe even escape through it and start over…This knife is made from the tooth of the Dragon that killed him, in
SY: I know that in Northrend there’s a faction of dragons, lead by the Dragon Queen Alexstraza.
Aliha: Nice lady too, and it has taken a lot to earn their trust while still following my chosen profession. The Black Flight’s representative knew who I was the moment I stepped on the dais…frankly I was amazed I didn’t try to skin her on sight. *she laughs a bit then seems to sober up.* Itharius was there too, pissed me off the moment I saw him. He looks just like Auren, well more scowl-y than my former mate, but on the outside they look very similar. Auren was a charmer and a rogue to the core. Would have made a great pirate honestly.
SY: Is that how you got the name Farstrider?
Aliha: *nods* Yeah. See this was the only thing I kept *she holds up her necklace* It’s a Farstrider’s signet – like dog tags. I took on the name Farstrider thinking it was his last name. Still don’t know what the real one was but considering how far I’ve traveled and how far I intend to keep going the name fits.
SY: Do you have anyone you’re close to now?
Aliha: *smiles fondly as she puts the knife away* Yes I do, though we’ve kept things quiet and subtle and you’ll pardon if I don’t mention it.
SY: No problem.
SY: You mentioned you were making your own ‘clan’ of sorts. What do you mean by that?
Aliha: Well… ran into a lot of folks over the years that just seemed out of place or in need of help and I really have issue leaving some people abandoned. So some of them I took on as wards or apprentices and have now seemed to make a rather large family for myself. Rather proud of them all too and being the head of a household is no different than being an officer. Just one big ‘mama bear’. *she chuckles*
SY: Can you tell me a bit about your clan?
Aliha: There’s so many, and I know you’re going to talk to them all eventually so I won’t go into detail. Most of them are Draenei – displaced from their people, misunderstood or flat out just trouble. My sister and my now reborn daughter count among them. All in all I have nine people in my little family, including Ferren, ten counting myself. *she counts on her fingers, listing off names* Umbram, Jadira, Oboro, Kahlith, Irulain, Meloraan, Blackhowling, Chaaran, and Ferren.
SY: What prompted you to gather so many?
Aliha: I always had a big family, and honestly planned on having a lot of kids. I guess I like taking care of people and these folks really seemed to need the help at the time. Now we’re kin, even if we’re not related by blood.
SY: Your sister knows Horde, and you were mated to one for a while… know any others?
Aliha: Two actually, blood elves both. First is a little eccentric nut ball tailor named Dawnqui… he’s a Warlock and not one to fuck with because he’s well crazy. The other is a mage, Ellinae, an engineer and pyro-maniac.
SY: I know a lot of folks fight the Horde… what’s your take on them?
Aliha: Well considering I have a Sin’dorei surname, am friends with a few horde and avoid battlefields like the Plague… *she pauses to consider her words* We’ve got a lot of things in our world to fight against, a lot of very bad things threatening to destroy everything we know and hold dear. Orcs have families too, the Tauren and my people get along rather well and understand the importance of Balance. Trolls are an ancient race and very violent without our help but in general not bad… the Forsaken are well… scary but tragic too…I guess you could say we all live on this rock together and face the same challenges – just different looking people is all. So no I don’t hate the Horde nor do I intend to actively battle them. I’ll obtain thank you.
SY: Recently the King of Stormwind returned… what do you think of the guy?
Aliha: He is a very hurt person, full of anger and grief and a hell-a-lot of rage…since the Wrathgate he’s directed it towards the Orcs, the ones who over the years treated him so badly. However they weren’t the cause of his banishment nor disappearance. His own kind were responsible at the prompting of dragons…its easy to hate something that doesn’t look like you, and to justify his anger towards them… but I have yet to see a true King out of that human. It’s why I avoid the place in all honesty. Not a fan of cities in general, prefer to be out in the wild or rural areas… quiet out there.
SY: I have a list of questions often asked on a certain show I am a huge fan of that I wanted to ask you
Aliha: *shrugs* Sure fire away.
SY: What is your favorite Word?
Aliha: Humm…. I’d have to say… Cantankerous…
SY: What is your least favorite word?
Aliha: Hate…or Plox… what the hell kind of word is that?
SY: What turns you on, creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?
Aliha Something I’ve gathered or created with my own hands, that I’ve gone after myself every step of the way.
SY: What turns you off creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?
Aliha Ignorance and blind faith
SY: What sound or noise do you love?
Aliha Wind through the trees or the sound of a house full of loved ones.
SY: What sound or noise do you hate?
Aliha: Crying
SY: What is your favorite curse word?
Aliha: Son of a Bitch
SY: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Aliha: I think I would like to attempt being a class trainer or alchemist
SY: What would you not want to attempt?
Aliha: Engineering… or being a flight path manager.
SY: If Heaven exists, what would you want God to say to you at the Pearly Gates?
Aliha: *pauses for a long moment, the hint of moisture in her eyes as she considers* I’d like him to hand me a fishing pole and say ‘He’s waiting’… and point me to a nice spot to fish beside Auren. That was our favorite thing to do together.
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I now open the floor to our audience
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