It was a sunny spring midday in Elwynn. Among the apple trees of a farmyard ran an overjoyed child.
"Hurry up you lazybones," he cried loudly "I was promised a full day there!".
From the wooden house came a most motherly voice; "We're coming," said the woman "but make sure to remember your own promise, James Haller. Stay close to us, or your first time at the fair might aswell be your last one."
But the fair was no common one. It was no less than the great Darkmoon Faire. It was famous all over Azeroth for its wonders and mysteries, and was particularly loved by children of all races and social classes. So well-known it was, that its arrival was announced and discussed in Elwynn many a week in advance.
You may see now that James' excitement was well justified. Infact, he had tormented his parents with such relentless determination and for so many days (and nights) that the poor souls simply had to take him to the Faire. And when the day finally arrived, the child could barely keep himself from yelling his joy at any and all.
Now, not all the rumours about the faire were pleasant ones; people whispered of the dark things that crept amongst the tents and stands nighttime. Some went even as far as deeming it a den of thieves and assassins. The Haller family however, simply dismissed all that nonsense- How could a place full of laughing childs harbour any sort of evil?
The Hallers finally reached the outskirts of Goldshire, where the fair had settled. But instead of the many expected wonders, all they found was a few carts and some bleached tents.
As they witnessed this poor sight, a cross-eyed old woman coughed heavily. "You wish to see fun and games and fireworks high, ye?" she squawked "Don't leave just yet then, for the hour is nigh! Just two coins you will need, trust me your pockets won't bleed."
Her wrinkled hand sprung open; "Just two coins I said, and there you I will lead.".
Mr. Haller tore the money out of his pouch. He didn't really trust her, but nevertheless placed two copper coins on her palm. WOOSH! As soon as the metal touched the crone, father, mother and son were sucked away from the forest, twisted and squished in a airless dark, and then slammed onto the undergrowth of a shadowy glade. Tears began to fill James' eyes -being teleported for the first time is NOT fun, I can tell you- but he was quick to notice the colourful signs all around them. He wiped the tears away rushed down the path, screaming.
His parents came to the right conclusion a few moments after him, and as they stood up they began to read the signs. Here's what they saw, even if James was too excited to read all of them:
Ahead of you, down the path
A majestic, magical Faire!
Ignore the darkened, eerie woods
Ignore the eyes that blink and stare
Fun and games and wonderous sights!
Music and fireworks to light up the night!
Do not stop, you're nearly there!
Behold, my friend: THE DARKMOON FAIRE!
Right at the end of the path there was a great wooden archway and on it was the unblinking eye of Darkmoon. The renowed symbol of the faire. The child peered behind it where all kinds of marvels could be found: games, stands and magical shows. As soon as his still-astonished parents reached the arch, he bolted foward, accompanied by a distant "Make sure we can see you!" from his mother.
The faire was indeed the happiest place on Azeroth; James spent hours and hours darting from one stand to another. He rushed to and fro, smashing woolen gnolls, tossing rings on turtles and admiring tamed beasts until late afternoon. There were truly games for anyone: riddles for the clever minds, races for the fleet-footed and fights for the brutes and dim-witted.
But of all the stands, one particularly fascinated the boy. Five gray rats were dancing, playing and performing and amplitude of acrobatics displays. Behind them was a small figure, clad in excessively colourful clothes, who appeared to direct every single moviment of the five performers. They went on for what seemed hours, while more people gathered around to see.
Finally, the rats bowed before the small public and crawled back onto the gnome -for a gnome the puppeteer was.
"Thank you all," he said as people filled his zhevra lined hat with coins "we will be here tomorrow at the same hour. We hope to see you all again! Don't we, my darlings?". The rats squealed from underneath his cloak.
The crowd dispersed, the show was finished. But James did not move. He was determined to have one of those rats for his own, he had to get his hands on it. So he waited until the gnome slowly limped back to his tent. He prowled in the proximity of the tent until the gnome came out again (probably to attend to the dinner with the other members of the faire).
That was his chance! James slithered into the tent, ready to catch one of the mices. But much to his dismay, the tent was rather empty -only a bed, a wooden table and a small footlocker he could see- and without any sign of rats! James stubbornly refused to give up, and finally his small, prying hands reached the footlocker. It was locked, but he soon found a rock to break the padlock: what he found left him petrified.
Inside there were indeed rats, but not the ones he expected to find. They were lifeless, and while some were kept in small receptacles filled with a greenish fluid, others were simply placed on a musty tome. All around them were sheets of paper, filled with omnious writings that James could not understand.
He slammed the locker close, disgusted, and turned to leave the horrendous place. But infront of him, right inside by the entrace, was his host. "He looks so frail," James thought "that I should knock him down to escape". Indeed frail the gnome was, frail and abnormally pale, and his eyes were dark and sunken. But as their sights locked, James understood...
Meanwhile Mr. and Mrs. Haller were desperately looking for their son, for he was nowhere to be found. They searched for hours, for days, but James was gone.
Nobody in the faire knew what happend, nobody except perhaps Silas Darkmoon, the faire's founder. He was cunning, ol' Silas; and he had eyes everywhere. But he said nothing, for the puppeteer was of the faire, and the faire was family.
A family of freaks.
What do we need to redownload exactly? And gj btw:)