They had been briefed only that they would travel to Uldum to study the ruins, and no more. Ana had been excited for this trip, having never been there before, and she had taken significantly more time and care to prepare than she had for the failed and unproductive Northrend expedition.
Once at the Orsis ruins, the small group had dispersed, spreading out to cover more ground alone, but Aly had been apprehensive about exploring the sandy ruins alone and so they had taken a look around together, taking notes and trying to sketch diagrams and the like as best they could.
Tarcanus had told them that as well as any artifacts and material things that they may find while exploring to also note any energies that may have been out of the ordinary, and the one thing that Ana had been filled with and taken away from that place was a pervasive and lingering sadness and a sense of loss. She’d taken brief, scribbled notes along the way, but she would recall that emotion for some time to come and resolved that once she was home again to read more about the history of the ruins, and felt a little ashamed that she hadn’t taken the time to do so before the visit itself.
Notes:
Wind elementals – Aberration or completely normal occurrence due to sand storms and the environment?
Hieroglyphics/Symbols all over the structures – What do they mean? And who could decipher or translate them?
The structures – Was Orsis originally a temple or a city? How was it built? Who built it and again, what happened to it? More research is needed.
Bird statue buried in sand – Part of original structure or statue, symbolizing precisely what? What type of bird is this and why is it the only one of it’s kind?
Energies to note – Nothing malevolent, violent or unpleasant but a pervasive seeping sadness can be felt. Requires more research into the history of the area.
Altar of some kind – The symbols on the plaque on the wall are completely different from the others. Takes care to draw them with a little more concentration than the previous symbols. Discussion about whether the thing opens or not.
Set up camp for the night to observe the ruins and note any unusual activity if any by the light of the moon. (In other words, relaxation time, too much alcohol, endless dirty jokes and innuendo).
Curling up in the tent with the moon shining so brightly later that night, Ana’s only regret was that she had come here alone, although not entirely alone for the others were nearby, but she slept alone that night and she resolved to make a special trip back here again. Maybe even after the wedding, with Tindomiel. For all of the time she had spent in Tanaris, she had never imagined the desert could be so beautiful as it was there in Uldum, and she almost felt as if she were truly home.
These Things 