Feathermane

wow blog

2010-04-01T12:54:00.001-07:00

testing

A Guide to gain entry to Blackrock Mountain instances and raids

2010-03-23T08:37:00.001-07:00

This is awesomely written!

Giddy Gamer

Molten Core Planning Guide

2010-03-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

While technically there are no prerequisites to enter Molten Core through its entrance at the bottom of Blackrock Depths, every Core raider will want to complete the Attunement to the Core quest to enable the shortcut at the bottom of Blackrock Mountain. This quest is given at level 55 by Lothos Riftwaker who is located just outside The Quarry, on the way to Blackrock Depths.

Once attuned you can access Molten Core by talking to Lothos again. When dead (as ghost) you also have the possibility to jump into the lava near Lothos. This can also be done by living players if they have a way to slow fall, or by jumping first onto the small ledge in the pillar on the right as you enter the main chamber of Blackrock Mountain, healing, then jumping down, back toward the wall of the lava pit, to cover the remaining distance to the platform below.

Lucifron

Magmadar

Gehennas

Garr

Baron Geddon

Shazzrah

Sulfuron Harbinger

Golemagg the Incinerator

Majordomo Executus

Ragnaros

Last night in ICC 25

2010-03-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

So I decided to give 25 man raid a whirl. Well in comparisson to everyone else it seems - man do I suck. In comparisson to benchmarking against myself... I'm doing better.

I have slowed down my rotation to try to make better use of energy and on average seem to be putting out about 5k dps. This is an incredible increase for me - who used to only regularly do about 3k in Ulduar with a few exceptions. Unfortunatly the DPS level is woefully low compared to what is needed in ICC.

I went on a few heroics with Mer over the weekend. For the large part though I was mostly able to bring her Healing set up to par for at least 10 man ICC, I'm trying to prep her for doing a little more resto should raiding need it once Cataclysm comes out. I'm good at it and I enjoy it, so why not. :D

I did find that my score has increased yet again, I managed to get a new weapon from Halls of Reflection which I think did a lot for my gear score. I was sitting at 2669 and now I sit at 2783.

Here is how I did overall last night according to World of Logs...

This is my best against Festergut

I have to say though I'm incredibly happy with my uptime percentage... I remember in Ulduar when I was getting maybe 80% and change of uptime, now I'm in the 90s which is greatly improved for myself.

I do have to remember arms warriors make it so I don't need to Mangle. I knew this last night - yet could NOT seem to stop hitting it on occasion by accident. I will admit I did hit it on purpose for a quick CP in order to activate SR which HAS to be kept up at all times.

HoR - I finally win

2010-03-14T00:54:00.000-08:00

Finally finished the last of the 5 man instances opened recently and finished healing through HoR...(Last night I tried to heal it - and failed utterly once we got to HoR .... )

I got a lot of loots, did a lot of heroics today, and wintergrasp for honor so I could get gems and upgrade my resto set.

I'm very very exhausted.. so here is mah new loots - as you can see I have some for DPS (thanks to a guildy for giving up their Win on the polearm) and I totally messed up and got cloth shoulders instead of leather.. because I'm too tired.. and it's inscripted and gemmed... so I'm wearing cloth... oh well (on Merell)

Yeah badge vendor woops - but that's alright - with those upgrades, I have managed to do quite a bit for my heal set.

My score is now 2645 according to wow heroes...

AAAND with all those heroics - I finally finished off the last of my rep grinds for the main four of Northrend (Kirin'Tor, Ebon Blade, Wyrmrest, Argent)

Very good day - now it's 2am with Daylight savings.

Good night everyone.

Blackwing Lair Boss Summary

2010-03-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

Razorgore

Phase one, lots of spawns, kill eggs. Tank needs to be the 'controller' as this phase builds and locks in agro till Razorgore or the last to control him is dead. Phase two after eggs are killed adds flee and tank and spank till Razorgore is down. He has a front cone attack, stay away from his head, Fireball volley for AoE and war stomp to stun those too close.

Vaelestrasz

Vael gives us a little boost reguardless of his evil captor. Fire is the order of the day, stay away from the tail, stay away from his head. On the MT (and anyone dumb enough to be in front) gets Flame Breath debuff everytime Vael uses FB. This has a nasty DoT.

Burning Adrenaline will be cast on random mana users throughout the fight and every 45 seconds on the tank. This increases your damage output but reduces your maximum health by 5% every second until you die.

Multipul tanks will be needed (typically ran with 4... we could probably do it with two).

Random mana users with this effect will need to leave the area of your comrads or blow them up as well when you go up in flames from over use of the magics..... No Raja you may not stand in the middle of the raid....

Broodlord Lashlayer

Two 'suppression rooms' on the approach.

Traps - Disarm them - when they are up they generate Suppression Aura (80% slow)

Many trap guards - deal with them; Whelps - immune to magic of their color respawn after 3 min, Taskmasters heal eachother, respawn after 10 min, Hatcher cannot be CC - stacks Glowing Flames debuff on raid - kill it first - respawns after 10 min.

AoE knockback with damage, Cleave and Mortal Strike (up to 8k). Stay away from the front, ranged; stay at range.

Knock Away - will target highest on threat list - after knocked that target will loose 50% agro - be aware clothies.

Firemaw

Typically tanked in the entrence of the room (where Broodlord Lashlayer was) so raid can be out of LoS to Firemaw.
Wing buffet - knocks back tank and reduces agro

Shadow Flame - not resistable - comes with the DoT

Flame Buffet - stackable, cannot be dispelled debuff that is on everyone within Firemaw's LoS, each tick you are in LoS you get another stack - lasts for 20 seconds if it isn't renewed by being in LoS.

Thrash - extra attacks on tank.

Ebonroc

Pretty much the same as Firemaw (thrash, wing buffet, shadow flame) - minus the LoS DoT spam.

We do have a nifty Shadow of Ebonroc debuff from this boss that stacks on the MT - while active the boss gains 25k health every time he hits the target. Have a tank on hand to switch till the debuff wears off (8 seconds)

Flamegor

Same as Firemaw and Ebonroc with Wing Buffet, Shadow Flame and Thrash.

Also has an Enrage which is handy to be removed with a Hunter using Tranq shot.

Fire Nova inflicts 550 fire dmg to all raid members, which is used roughly every five seconds when Frenzied.

Without a hunter, we'll probably just heal through the Enrage and the fire nova that results.

Chromaggus

Something different! A PUPPEH!

Breath attacks
-Incinerate
-Corrosive Acid (nature resist would be handy)
-Frost Burn Attack speed reduced by 80% and about 1400 frost dmg
-Ignite Flesh (can stack if he casts it again within 60 second duration)
-Time Lapse Stun which reduces max health to half. He will attack non stunned characters first - a second tank would be handy here.

Afllictions
They can all be clensed except for Bronze which requires Hourglass Sand
-Red: Disease - 50 fire dmg every three seconds... heals Chromaggus on death
-Green: Poison - Healing reduced by 50% 250 nature damage every 5 seconds.
-Blue: Magic - Movement slowed by 70% Cast speed by 50% 50 mana and 1 health drained per second
-Black: Curse - Fire damage increased by 100%
-Bronze 4 second stun at random for 10 min

*Note if you get all five afflictions you mutate into a Chromatic Drakonid and are under his control - cannot be dispelled, once the player dies Chromaggus is healed.

He will also Enrage every 10 - 15 seconds which is usually controlled by hunters using Tranq shot. Important to keep the tank up - we may be able to kill him before we have too many problems.

Strategy quoted from WowHead:
The trick to it is to move out-of-sight when Chromaggus's breaths are incoming. All players other than the MT should move out-of-sight. Healing should intensify on the MT during this period as he will be taking heavy damage from whichever breath Chromaggus uses. The breaths are cast alternately so once you know which breaths he is using you can prepare appropriately. During the fight Chromaggus will shimmer. This means his resistances have changed. He will become extremely vulnerable to one type of magic and extremely resistant to others allowing for a boost in DPS (or allowing DPS to slow for a time to allow tanks to keep ahead on aggro). This fight is a long one, but as long as the raid keeps the Afflictions dispelled and the main tank healed, the raid will prevail.

Nefarian

Phase One
Initially Nefarian is invulnerable, he'll wonder around randomly Shadow Bolting, MCing and casting Fear on random raid members.

Many Draknoids will spawn in waves from the two doorways across from the balcony. One color will spawn from the southern door, one from the northern door. They will occasionally be joined by Chromatic which are bigger and harder to kill.

Red Short range cone DoT, Fire resist
Blue Mana drain attack, Frost resist, slight Arcane resist, debuff lowering attack speed.
Green Stuns, Nature resist
Black Direct fire attack, Shadow and Fire resist
Bronze Reduces attack and Cast speed, Arcane resist

Phase Two
After killing 42 (HA HA HA coders) Drakonids no more will spawn (finish off any others still alive).

Nefarian lands on the balcony in dragon form and Shadow Flames the entire raid. Onyxia Scale Cloak will resist the attack and the resulting DoTs.

He will continue to:
Shadow Flame
Cleave
Roar (AoE Fear every 30 seconds)
Veil of shadow (reduces healing to debuffed players by 75%)
Tail Lash (STAY AWAY FROM THE FUCKING TAIL)

Every 25 - 35 seconds he will cause chaos and meham by calling out a class and inflicting every player of that class with a specific debuff.
Druids are forced into cat (beware there goes your heals!)
Hunters have their weapons broken (you can use a macro when your class is called /unequip slot 18 [weapon]
/equip slot 18 [weapon]) that can remove your ranged weapon before he breaks it - enabling you to re-equip.
Mages turn into giraffe, cow or worm
Priests are afflicted with corrupted healing
Pallies are forced to cast hand of protection on Nefarian
Rogues are teleported right in front of him getting breath and cleave attacks. Also you are stunned and cannot run away. (someone got hit by too many rogues in WSG....)
Shamans will be under the effect of Corrupted Totems causing totems to buff Nefarian and damage the raid.
Warriors will berserk which increases their damage taken.
Warlocks will summon corrupted infernals (2 per) who attack the raid.
Death Knights The raid is death gripped to him.

Phase Three
Finally!
Once he's reduced to 20% health he'lll resurrect all Drakonids killed in Phase one as Bone constructs (Many adds, deal with them). He'll resume his wiley Phase two skillz until he or you are dead.

Great place for the raid to hide out of LoS is behind the throne.

You can kind of see how this plays out here

All these videos

2010-03-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

Are making me want to creat a few of my own.

http://www.fraps.com/

I think it'd be nice especially to record the 'old school' outtings.

Order of Raids

2010-03-11T07:06:00.001-08:00

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/underdev/blackwing.html for 60 raids

Now I need to research more blackrock spire... I was never very good at understanding LBRS or UBRS...

Looks like attunment is still required... http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=18031186265&sid=1.

I think I'll have to do some in-person research. May have to include attunement with the raid.

Update: Information on bosses (if needed) and attunement here

Summary since WoTLK:
I had a lot of trouble finding the Quartermaster so I am posting this.

The attunement requirement with WotLK release is still in effect. The mob, Scarshield Quartermaster has been moved away from the orb. This was done because he interfered with groups forming for BWL raids in the area.

Upon entering the Spire from Burning Steppes, take the chain route to the UBRS portal. Keep going till you are half-way between the entrance and the orb at the other end of the hallway. To your left a ramp goes down. Go down that ramp and he should be right in front.

- He will drop Blackhand's Command.
- Accept the quest it gives you: Blackhand's Command
- Go to UBRS. Clear to General Drakkisath. Interact with the orb behind him.
- No you do not have to kill the General.

Congratulations. You are now attuned.

Here is a rough summary of the raid it's self:

Just some info for people who like to do this with very small groups - me and some friends successfully did it 4-man except Vael who we had to bring in a fifth for (though it should be doable with an ideal group composition easily. Rogues and Warriors (execute spam once Vael reaches 20%) deal BOATLOADS of damage at 80, especially well geared 80s). We killed Onyxia and got four cloaks made before going into BWL.

Razorgore - Have the tank grab all the adds and tank in the middle of the room. Have the healer stand on top of the tank and pull healing aggro to get the mobs to the tank. Have a dps kill the blackwing mages ONLY (if you only have 3 people, ignore this role). the last player runs around breaking the eggs with razorgore.

Vaelstrasz - Warriors, Rogues, Feral Druids, and DKs are absolutely amazing for this. It could be 3 or 4 manned if you had Warrior/Rogue/Rogue/Shaman (for bloodlust and some heals at the beginning) or possibly even Rogue/Rogue/Blood Death Knight (3-man). Just pop all cooldowns, including Bloodlust. the main tank will be killed 1 minute into the fight, while mana users are targetted and killed really fast with BA. The less mana users the better. As I mentioned earilier, we brought in a fifth member and had one log on an alt making the fight - Warrior/Warrior/Rogue/Shaman/Healadin.

Broodlord Lashlayer - incredibly easy, just stand in a corner so you don't get knocked back.

Firemaw - Put on your cloaks for this one. The only semi-difficult drake out of the three, just run out of line of sight when the debuff stacks above 20ish (although I was healing through it successfully at 41 stacks for a bit).

Ebonroc - Again, use your cloaks here. Cake, only thing is that he heals himself when he attacks the tank, but dps is so high at level 80 it doesn't matter at all, just burn him down.

Flamegor - Another cloak fight. He is the easiest of the three drakes since his special ability is enrage, which can be dispelled by loads of different mechanics now. even if you don't dispel it, healing is already super easy in BWL so it isn't an issue at all.

Chromaggus - In our group - Healadin/Tankadin/Mut Rogue/Elemental Shaman, we got hard mode chrommie (Time lapse breath) and it was hell. We barely managed to kill him after several attempts. The reason we had such a large problem is we didn't have enough sand for the whole group so Bronze was always up, Black was always up since we couldn't decurse, and Red stacks too high to cleanse effectively so we had to rely on the disease cleansing totem to slowly remove it. So if Chromaggus threw up Blue, Time lapsed, and threw up green, it was GG as most of the party got converted. In the end we finally got it just because he didn't end up doing that. Fight took about 10 minutes as he has 2 million hp.

Nefarian - significantly easier than chromaggus. some class calls can be annoying, but they aren't fight-ending. Adds are cake. with everyone having a cloak, no need to bother with freaking out about shadow flame.

And I hope those tips help you and your friends to 4-5 man BWL. When I went looking for info on some of these tactics for low-numbered-groups I found nothing besides "how to 15 man it".

-Commented by dcemuser

Lore Clips

2010-03-10T22:24:00.000-08:00

I never knew they did these until I found them looking for instance / raid trailers.

What has come before... Azaroth as we found it in World of Warcraft... what has happened during, and what is to come... in a lore perspective.

Warcraft Lore 1: Coming of the Burning Legion and Scourge

Warcraft Lore 2: Medivh Speaks to Thrall in a Dream

Warcraft Lore 3: Medivh, The Prophet's Warning to Lordaeron

Warcraft Lore 4: Arthas Slays His Father to be King of Lordaeron

Warcraft Lore 5: Archimonde Destroys Dalaran

Warcraft Lore 6: Grom and Thrall Kill Mannoroth and free The Horde

Warcraft Lore 7: Night Elf Wisp Army Helps Save the World Tree at Mount Hyjal

Warcraft Lore 8: Illidan Returns with Naga

Warcraft Lore 9: Arthas Becomes The Lich King

Warcraft Lore 10: Enter World of Warcraft

Warcraft Lore 11: Enter The Burning Crusade

Warcraft Lore 12: Enter Wrath of The Lich

Warcraft Lore -13- Enter Cataclysm

WoW Trailers

2010-03-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

I'm doing some research into beginning Old School raiding in our guild, and part of the hook is posting up the trailers for the old raids...

Course the only one I can find for Molten Core is the one that was an April Fools joke... still hilarious.

In the beginning

Molten Core

Blackwing

AQ

Mount Hyjal

Zul Gurub

Black Temple

Zul'Aman

Sunwell Plateau

Hellfire Citidel

Naxxramas

Ulduar

ToC

Ice Crown Citadel

Looks like we're going after Orbit-uary Thursday in WoW

2010-03-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

For help in that....

UI

2010-03-10T09:54:00.000-08:00

Recently been thinking about playing around with my UI.... here are some things TankSpot put together....

I'll have to do a before and after for my journey down modification lane... currently I raid with DBM, Omen and Grid and BadKitty (for when in kat form)

Girl Raiders

2010-03-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

Interesting little video for the female perspective of WoW, raiding, and the interactions between the genders in an MMO

I cannot say for sure if BMR has MORE of one gender or another but girls represent quite a bit, and we're treated with no more and no less respect than the boys... then again we're all a bunch of smartasses....

ICC 25 man Guides

2010-03-10T07:52:00.000-08:00

Lower Spire:
Lord Marrowgar

Lady Deathwhisper

Gunship Battle

Deathbringer Saurfang

The Plagueworks:
Festergut

Rotface
Rotface Addendem

Putricide

The Crimson Hall:
Blood Princes

Blood Queen Lana'thel

In the Frostwing Halls:
Valithria Dreamwalker

Sindragosa

Lich King pt 1

Lich King pt 2

Check out the 25 man Loot Table

Best Motivational picture EVER

2010-03-09T22:58:00.000-08:00

ICC 10 man videos

2010-03-09T22:57:00.000-08:00

Now up WAY past my bedtime... /fail I bring to you a compilation of 10 man how to videos from TankSpot!

Tank Spot Videos for ICC 10 man

Lower Spire:
Lord Marrowgar

Lady Deathwhisper

Gunship Battle

Deathbringer Saurfang

The Plagueworks:
Festergut

Rotface

Putricide

The Crimson Hall:
Blood Princes

Blood Queen Lana'thel

The Frostwing Halls:
Valithria Dreamwalker

Sindragosa

Lich King

Now to see what treasures can be found check out the 10 man loot table

ToC 10 Man

2010-03-09T22:01:00.000-08:00

I decided since I put it on my guild forum, I had to have another copy here... with embedded videos! Woo Hoo

Huzzah to Tank Spot for putting these videos together, be sure to check out other guides. I will probably be tossing together more summary posts with some of their stuff.

First round of ToC 10

2010-03-09T21:21:00.000-08:00

Regardless of potential personal issues (which didn't flair as badly as I had feared), the raid went off very well. Duz / Dave local friend and guildy took a rag-tag bunch into ToC and we did not get to the first treasure chest, but we made excellent progress in helping new folks learn raiding / and the fight.

We regularly got the first of the three monster round down, and were getting to the point where we were about mid fight for the worms. Good job by all, good times were had.

Found an awesome series of You Tube videos on how-to ToC... gonna share this one.

Also did my first heroic since the new 'LFG' process... kind of like it - though I got shit for not knowing we could teleport out of the place like we were ported in... /sigh

The things I miss.

Running with people in game in which personal issues abound

2010-03-09T10:44:00.001-08:00

How do you deal with it? Personally, I'm going to try to putting them on /ignore and mute them in vent.

Really whatever made me condone the application and allow membership for someone who has caused me no small amount of personal stress and hurt (ex). What the hell was I thinking... oh right, that I wanted to be more enlightented and level headed than it turns out I am.

Spreading the word of the Daily Druid

2010-03-05T08:31:00.000-08:00

First of all... LOVE Daily Druid please visit their site, they have goodies for all druids!

In trying to track down why on earth I got beat on dps by folks lower geared than me.... I was probably overall rather lazy about rotation... nothing else massively seems to have changed reguarding the rest of the goodies that make us soo fuzzy and deadly. Agil, ArmorPen once our gear reaches a certain level, Crit, Hit, Haste. Though if I am going to start raiding again I need to make a batch of Swiftness pots (yes they do increase our attack speed).

Here are some resources I found during my journey.

Understanding Hit, Exp & The Attack Table - Good summary even I understood it!
Melee Hit Table FAQ - Little more in depth but still understandable
[Druid] Cat in the Cap - Summary of Caps... Hard caps, soft caps, yellow and white attack tables... or something.. This will take more time for me to digest
Feral DPS Guide - WoWwiki recently got an overhaul for this site with 3.3

Interesting to note, the origional author of Rawr was recently honored by Blizz when they created an item called Astrylian's Sutured Cinch. That was nice of them!

For those like me who may be thinking of poking their cute kitteh noses into ICC10 we have a nifty little guide.

A short guide to kitty DPS in ICC Lower Spire

I do have to remind myself that the feral cat dps rotation is one of the most difficult to master in the game, yet it is also forgiving.

Perhaps once Ash (my roomie) is back from CA and things settle down for us a bit I'll get back into 25 mans.

Another Thursday 10 man

2010-03-05T08:01:00.000-08:00

Merell got to cat-out this time, which during our visit to VoA I failed miserably to put my DPS set *BACK* on and was a kitty in resto gear the whole time..... 1468 dps WOOO.... /fail

Had some fun with Uld 10 and taking down the weekly's Razorscale, that fight was always pretty fun.

With the new badges got a small upgrade.

With that and a gem and enchant fixed I'm now up to 2708 gear score instead of 2669. Tuesday a bunch of us westcoasters are going to ToC10 to gear eventually into ICC10... though right now looks like Mer's best gear is going to be ICC25. I'm still very leary of the large 25 man raids. I'm jealous as all hell that instead of being one of the top geared people shortly after Wrath came out, I'm so very much not anymore. But that is what you get when you don't raid. Ah the dicotomy. I'm trying to focus more on improving Mer and not comparing... because frankly that path leads to insanity.

I'm starting to wonder though if my roation is off somehow, I watch my CDs via BadKitty but lower geared than I Pally and Shadow priest kicked my ass for DPS in Ulduar.... (I had my dps gear back on don't worry). Not entirely sure why.

Anyways, Woo is still sitting at 49... I did not get her to 50 last weekend like I'd hoped... Here is to tonight getting that done. :)

Commission!

2010-02-27T22:23:00.000-08:00

I am the proud new parent of commissioned art for one of my characters. Art by nobleknightkaeru.

I am so pleased, so incredibly pleased by the artist, the process and the results. Welcome to how Woohitika Whiteclaw of Thorium Brotherhood actually looks like.

Just Another

2010-02-26T09:34:00.000-08:00

Day in solo leveling paradise!

Got to convince someone that James's Horde Leveling guide was real and free... silly humans.

My Wallpaper commis for Woo is going well, very hapy so far.

I bumped up in two hours of play from 44 last night to 46 this morning. Got Woo some nice gloves crafted by my Ghost Hunter Skyfae.

Epic, EPIC I tell you!

One of these days I'll have to post her damage, even for a wee little shammie she's doing very alright for herself.

To celebrate a lovely rainy Seattle evening after work I plan on eating and getting to 50!

No Shammie time

2010-02-22T14:51:00.000-08:00

Firstly, I'd like to report that I'm commisioning a wallpaper made for Woo my orc girl elem shammie... There's a serious lack of one existing so I have to have one made by nobleknightkaeru. So far I'm in love, Woo is getting realized very well.

I picked out the art from the TBDF community because I liked how this piece turned out.

I had a lot of socializing with people, and six hours of driving done this weekend so I didn't get much done. I did get Woo to 44 :)

I hope I'll be able to recapture some of the insane leveling in the next week / weekend.

I made epic gear for her with Skyfae, unfortunatly I don't think the mail was actually sent, or if it was sent to the wrong person.... I hope it eventually get's returned.

Sig Spam

2010-02-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

I added my commonly played toons to the top with their 'signatures'. My alts are all the way at the bottom, I hope soon to start writing their stories... If you click on the writing label you will get all the character's writings that I have so far.

Soon, I hope to get it better separated with their name, or rather their current encarnation. For instance Kamma is Shobatsu.

Enjoy!

VoA, Ony and Weekly

2010-02-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

Gathered with the BMR folks for our Thursday 10 mans of awesome.

Killed off the 'new' VoA boss with the ice whirling around him, always a good time. After VoA we went to kill Ony again... I don't know why she's still up but she was. Some new people got to see it for the first time.

Nothing of use was looted by me from Ony so goodies got to go to other folks, then we went off to Flame Leviathan for the weekly 10 man.

After 4-5 attempts to get FL down with all four towers still up we decided, meh we just wanted the weekly and off we went to kill more towers. Decided to try a new vehicle as I'm always on a motorcycle and I got an achievement Three Car Garage which was completely unexpected.

Also picked up Energy Siphon from FL for my offset (I swear I spend more time as a Tree than a cat...)

Then I noticed I had badges... haha silly me... and picked up Duskstalker Pauldrons.

About a month ago I was last in a 25 man raid I finally finished off the last epic touches to Ikfirus's Sack of Wonder.

Go ahead and giggle, I know I did.

So now instead of sitting at gear score 2620 according to wow heroes I'm sitting at 2669 (even with a few things ungemmed since I mailed gems to the JC last night).... and evidentally I'm missing a ring enchant... when did I do that?

Not too shabby for someone who dosen't really raid if I don't say so myself.

Loving Blogger

2010-02-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

I have imported my old posts from A Scratching Post (my fearal druid how to guide), and my short character stories from another LJ I created.

I will work on the next few days on fixing tags so things can be found.

Enjoy, and thank you for the welcome!

You know what the world needs?

2010-02-18T07:36:00.000-08:00

One more WoW Blog.

That's right folks!

Currently my interest in 'big 25 man raids' is nill. I am not a DPS powerhouse, I'm grossly undergeared (in my opinion) and I'm overall rather agrivated.

Currently with my 'main' Merell Feathermane (Feral kitty / Tree) spends her time once a week, going on a 10 man raid with a quiet weekly, Ony and maybe a VoA run. It's quick it's sweet, I don't spend 3-4 hours sitting in my chair needing to do other things and I'm in and out with minimal fuss or drama. I LOVE IT.

I am spending a lot of my time leveling with Woo my girl-orc shaman. I spent way too much money trying out enhancment after being elemental for the first 40 levels... and I found that I just suck with enhancment, and I don't like one target dps, I do that with my cat... booooOOooooring. So I spent even more money and went back to elemental. Many onling guides have told me 'eer no elemental, your gear sucks, you can do WAY MORE DAMANGE as enhance' Blah blah... well not for me, I pump out 200-500 a hit at lvl 43, and I've jumped 10 levels in less than a week... I have to say after so many years with an alt problem - using a leveling guide helps if for no other reason to remind you where to go next because you have 2 other toons who recently came through here and you have no idea what *YOU* should be doing.

I'm extreemly happy with my girl shammie, but alas there are no girl shaman orc wallpapers in which to show my love at work.... this is soo sad... and I'm computer art illiterate....

/update enjoy all.

More 3.3 Information for Feral Cats

2009-12-31T02:34:00.000-08:00

3.3 Gear and Stat information for kitties

3.3 Non Tier Gear vs Tier Gear what is best for your kitty?

Another look at 3.3 by Feral Agression changes with gear suggestions / crafted / trinkets / rings and other goodies.

I had found and posted these to my guild forums today and figured I'd spread the feral love. :)

A long time coming

2009-12-31T01:29:00.000-08:00

I must first hang my head in kitty shame.... I have not kept this guide up to date. I hope you all have availed yourselves of BBB, Elitest Jerks, Daily Druid and Druid forums to name a few of the fantastic resources available.

I find myself unmotivated since before 3.3 came out, I am far behind the core raiders in my guild (rather I feel very far behind, I'm at a fairly healthy 2620 gear) but I find I do not enjoy it that much anymore. I can only realy manage a good two hour sitting at a time and our raid times are incompatible with my work schedule.

Speaking of which I am happy to report that after 9 months of unemployment I am working again. It has been a long and hard road, but I find myself less willing to play WoW compared to other things I try to pack into a short two day weekend and before sleep during the week.

I have been working on leveling my alts, and may investigate leveling another druid on my main server as a tank / boomkin dual class (since my MerKat is now Cat / Tree).

There is a storyline I thought I would be abandoning but, I think I may dig that up again and move forward with it since my time is so limited.

I have in reviewing changes for 3.3 came across this lovely resource for kitties.

Cat Resource from the Daily Druid

Particularly I was reviewing this page linked from the above resource for raiding 101.

I have reviewed the information and found that it matches well with my own understanding of the current kittydom of toothy dps.

I really cannot stop recommending Daily Druid and Big Bear Butt Blogger enough and I commend them both in sustaining their interest in this game amidst their own lives in the mundane world.

I have seen other addon reccomondations for DoTs and Debuff information, but I still faithfully use and recommend Bad Kitty.

I wish you all a Happy New Year wherever your gaming leads you! :)

More on To HIT!

2009-06-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

I've been banging my head into a wall for weeks now on this subject. I have always been of the school of HIT GOOD... I was gemmed to hit up to max.

With recent changes however it's not the best way to go about it (evidently).

Now, all signs from wow forums, EJ and Rawr point to agility gemming is the only way to go. However, I noticed when I did that my dps dropped by quite a bit. I got very grumpy due to all the gold spent on regemming to find that it didn't help at all!.

So research continued trying to figure out where it all went wrong. That is I see pointed out because of hit rotation. When your hit rotation isn't all that great, maxing out your TO HIT is kind of a crutch to get you by.

No mangle spam, only Rake on 5 CP, keep savage roar up etc etc.

Well I'm very guilty of mangle spam - problem is that when you have multiple druids... it only is effective from one of the druids. There is an addon that is supposed to notify you when another druid has mangled or FF a target so you know if you should bother wasting your own energy to land you own hit - however, I'm having issues with that addon and have to find it again..... cause evidently I never got around to actually downloading it ::covers eyes with paws::

To help with hit rotation I've been using an addon called BadKitty - which I find more inclusive of all feral oddities than DoTimmer and some other general Dot timers. It takes some practice, but it does seem easier and giving me enough information vs too much or not enough.

So there you go, some itemization of what I've found out in my angst-fest over the last few weeks.

To Hit update

2009-04-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

While listening to my fellow fuzzy-kat druids I have learned that some of my information is out of date!

::Gasp::

Last I posted I indicated that the hit cap for Feral Druid cats was 298-ish. Now I know a lot of people in the forums even wondered if we *could* get to that number. With a lot of 70 gear - yes I was sitting pretty at 300+ to hit for a long time.

However, expansions happen and the numbers shift and my poor brain has to try to start making sense of new systems. Luckily for me and others - people smarter than I have figured some things out.

Originally when WoTLK came out 298 was going to be the lvl 83 raid boss to hit cap, with normal lvl 80 being around 263. However, that information was either inaccurate, or incomplete or Blizzard changed it.

With that information comes some good news.

According to this and other sources the raid boss hit cap needed is 262.32 - or to round up 263. Now a lot more of us can cut back on some to hit gems (anyone else stocked up on Rigid Autumn Glows?).

That is the newest bit of information. Merell's personal best against Patchwerk is 3400 and change - granted the locs and mages and most other DPS class still out DPS us in numbers I still feel an important member of the raiding process.

I will admit I have finally leveled my priest to 80 and will be taking her on her first Naxx run tonight! Wish me luck!

((I apologize for slacking off in posting, however loss of job, terrible lingering illness has pretty much kept me off WoW and the internet for a while. I am back on the mend now and ready to go!))

Making the most of it

2009-02-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed a heroic Violet Hold run the other night with some brand new 80s. Now these folks were no slouches, but rather guildies who have leveled their second toon to 80 with two exceptions. One, myself and another a brand new to 80 mage.

We did run into some problems, a couple reses, mobs splitting up and two deaths, one including our tank. However I did what I always do, Bear out to tank the mob while the tank get's rezed (We had a tree healer!) pop off a couple HoTs while I charge the target since the Tree we have is normally a chicken and new to treeing.

We however were incredibly awesome and got it all done without having to re-enter VH. HUZZAH.

That we recovered from so many near fatal oh shit situations did not phase me, after all our guild likes to 'make it work' in whatever we do. Instance, spec, gear.. we make it work so we can play happily. What surprised me is our tree thanking me for saving their asses. Well yes I felt I did a damn fine job that night and thanked her with the disclaimer 'just doing the druid thing'. Any druid would do the same? Right? Right! To my disappointment she indicated that no indeed they do not.

Why not?

If your tank dies you have the option of going bear take some damage, perhaps the tank can be battle rezed perhaps not or you might have an amazing healer who keeps you up. Just because you are a cat and specced only for kitty DPS doesn't mean you cannot pull this off. Get off your fuzzy butts and step up to it. Other DPS classes do not have the options and versatility that you do. I know I have said it before but I will say it again, embrace your virsitility!

If you see your healer is struggling, slap a couple HoTs on yourself or your tank. Yes it may take some time out of your precious DPS rotation but it may save your party. You can heal, you can battle rez, you can take hits in bear form. Other DPS classes cannot do this. If your main concern is DPS numbers than do us all a favor and go roll a mage, loc, rogue or shadow priest.

Thank you.

/steps off soap box

/burns soap box

In other news I'm starting to level my priest now that Mer is doing quite well (broke 3k DPS on Patchwerk this Sunday!). I had leveled her from 0-70 as holy. However, at 73 I grew frustrated and have now gone shadow-spec for the remainder of my leveling... MWHAHAHAH the power is AWESOME.

Builds and Hit Rotations

2009-01-23T05:09:00.000-08:00

In the topic of builds and hit rotations.

As I mentioned earlier I had some very bad practices with my hit roation based on old information and not the best build for DPS cat.

Here is a snapshot of my origional build.

Yeah had some tanking abilities in there didn't I?

Here is my build currently.

This is the build I'm experimenting with a mind towards DPS and being easier to heal. As a cat, sometimes I bear-out to go rescue a clothie. If something has escaped into the raid and I can stay alive a little longer for one of the professional tanks to take it back is well worth points in my book.

As for hit rotation I have downloaded DoTimer from Curse so I can better keep track of all the different claw attacks.

This is my own variant of the most common suggested hit rotations currently:

1. Faerie Fire (Let the tank get their agro first)
2. Tiger's Fury
3. Mangle
4. Rake
5. Shred to full combo points
6. Savage Roar (this increases your overall Attack Power and is far more useful than it looked from the talent tree)
7. Renew your mangle, rake, shred till Rip if you still have SR up.

I tend to alternate between Rip on full combo points and Savage Roar on full combo points. The more combo points I have before pressing SR the longer the AP buff lasts and I usually have time to build up full combo points (renewing all DoTs) and a Rip before the AP buff wears off. Rinse lather repeat.

With this setup I went from as I said earlier from 1600 DPS to 2200.

Now do you see why I have invested in a DoT time? When I'm in a raid with everyone elses DoTs going all over the place it's hard to keep track of your own. Also sometimes it's easy to forget, but don't forget to keep Fairie Fire up. If you CANNOT cast it odds are another druid has Improved Fairie Fire on the target.

More on mechanics later, go out there and play!

Rep rewards in WotLK

2009-01-23T00:32:00.000-08:00

First in my rep grinding in WotLK has been The Sons of Hodir. They hold the new shoulder enchants that previously Scryer or Aldor did in the BC expansion. Particularly for fuzzy kitty druids is the lovely Greater Inscription of the Axe buyable upon exalted. However, do not dispair if you are a slow rep grinder such as myself. There is an Honored version as well.

After these folks is the other main four factions:
Kirin Tor Tailoring, Jewelcrafter, Epic waist DPS leather and another Spell power head gadget.
Knights of the Ebon Blade Tailoring, Jewelcrafter, Leatherworker, Epic dps leather chest and a DPS head gadget.
Argent Crusade Tailoring, Jewelcrafter, Epic leather DPS boots and a tanking head gadget.
Wyrmrest Accord Tailoring, Jewelcrafter, Red Drake, SpellPower head gadget and Epic wrists for kitties.

This is of course over simplified for ease of picking what to do. When you carry a tabard of one of these factions (recievable at Friendly) then you can put it on to earn that faction when running an instance. Very nifty revision to the rep grind and hopfully we all get a little LESS sick and tired of running the same instance OVER and OVER and over again.. /digress.

As you can see if you are a tailor or JCer you have a fun rep grind in front of you. However, depending on what drops for you in running instances and raiding may change what faction you want to grind. (Another Huzzah for the tabard method!)

For myself the next grind after Sons of Hodir will be the Ebon blade folks for the Arcanum of Torment. Of course closely following that for pure enjoyment will be Wyrmrest for RP reasons and the DRAGON mount! You of course prioritize your own goodies, you're a big kitty right?

I utterly failed to get anywhere on the Netherdrake rep grind so now I really want a dragon mount.

One thing I just learned of note for Knights of the Ebon Blade quartermaster. You cannot even get to him until you do the quest line in Argent Vanguard (Icecrown) to open some door. In the process of the quest line you will also earn enough Ebon Blade rep to be friendly.

This concludes the functional rep grind factions. Of course there are many others granting penguins, rare mounts and other simply FUN things in the game. Remember to pace yourselves this isn't a race, it's a game.

Paying attention to skill revisions is a Good Thing...

2009-01-19T04:56:00.000-08:00

Hello my fuzzy friends!

I will go into detail in another post, however with some tightening of my spec and updated hit rotation in addition to a nifty little DoTimer (Not just for warlocks and shadow priests!) I have increased my DPS from 1600 to 2200 without yet having the time to do much in regards to my remaining BC raid gear.

I will share what I was doing, and what I'm doing now in detail in the next day or so. (^..^)~

Professions

2009-01-12T22:59:00.000-08:00

I apologize, I've been a sick cat. I have however gotten to see Sanctum this weekend along with heroic Halls of Lightning - though I do not recall much of either (Yay for cold meds).

Now it's Tuesday and I actually managed to get up at a decent hour and of course I cannot get into WoW for some pre-work killing of things. Thank you Murphy's Law.

*crosses fingers for patch*

I am an enchanter / tailor. I know I know, not really what the typical druid goes for but I took the skills for pure RP enjoyment and have since leveled another tailor for need. I'm feeling pretty done with cloth, but am putting enchanting on the back burner till the patch comes out because we have confirmation that the materials for enchanting will be getting nerfed. Thank you Blizz.

Speaking of professions, typically a druid from what I can tell will go with leatherworking so you can make some of your own armor. This can be VERY handy. However, if you are part of a guild or group of people with other leather workers I find you can do just as well without the profession.

Do what makes you happy.

Once hitting 80 I did invest in the materials for these three pieces of crafted bind on equip (BoE) beauties.

Trollwoeven Spaulders

Trollwoven Girdle

Ice Striker's Cloak

Our guild had just gotten started with Serpentshine cavern before everything got nerfed before the expac came out. So I am using a combination of old 70 raid gear, crafted items and some heroic drops for my 80 heroic / raid gear. This seems to be going quite well and I had my first 13k crit the other night raid buffed. ::Squeeeee::

The moral of the story is you do not have to be a leatherworker when you are a druid. If your guild makes noises like you *HAVE* to, find another guild. This is a game and is supposed to make you happy, do not let it become a job.

World of Warcraft Forums

2009-01-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

They're not just abusive traps! There is some valid interesting information to be found in the forums. You will see a new link to the side taking you directly to the Druid forum that World of Warcraft forum site hosts. Leveling guides, opinions, FAQ about druids. A lot of great folks have put a lot of work into sharing the information, so take a gander.

Healers and You

2009-01-08T02:05:00.000-08:00

You may not have specced resto but that doesn’t mean we can just ignore the health of our party. Well I suppose you could, but I'm fresh out of Asshattary prizes.

Druids have these beautiful abilities:

Tranquility

An excellent oh-shit, area of effect heal over time while you channel. I suggest slapping barkskin on yourself before popping this so you can channel it longer. Occasionally despite your and other's best effort everything is about to go to hell. Having a druid pop tranquility can give the party members some leeway and the healer a much needed breather to top off the tank so everyone can keep going. It is nice if you can manage it to calmly announce in party chat or on voice chat 'Popping Tranq' so folks know that you are going to be doing a big heal dump and so the healer can route their mana to a stronger but longer cast time heal on your tank. This is courteous and typically appreciated.

Innervate

What is that you say? Everything has gone to hell and your healer is about to OOM? Target your healer and press that lovely Innervate button. Do not burry it where you cannot find it just because you are a DPS kitty. It is a slow mana regen based on spirit for your healer. They will love you.

I will typically say at the beginning of a raid or instance, alright I've got my innervate handy just let me know when you want it. Because you do not want to just zap someone without warning they may have just downed a mana potion or cut loose their shadowfiend. Let the healers be responsible for their own mana. Typically when one announces OOM however, you can be pretty sure they've tried all their tricks and are ready to be zapped with Innervate. I like to pop off a HoT on the tank to help while the healer's mana regenerates.

Renew

Speaking of heal over time (or HoTs). Just because you are DPS doesn’t mean you cannot heal yourself and or someone else in a pinch. Be aware though that mana management is something that most healers deal with, if you go spamming large heals you are wasting the party's mana. This is not nice, but something I think we all end up doing especially at the beginning when we're trying to be helpful. I like popping off a HoT here and there especially if I notice the healer is having to spam heal one after another after another. Most folks' mana pool cannot support that for long. So I like to pop off a round of HoTs to give the healer some breathing room.

I have found that even in Nexx 25 man raids these precepts especially valuable.

There is one boss Loatheb, who suspends all healing except for three second intervals. The healers aren't going to have the time to heal you up. Take a break, invest in Deadly Boss Mod so you get the notice that you can heal and pop Renew on yourself and go back to trying to claw them to death.

In Patchwerk due to the incredibly heavy hit tanks can go down very quickly and healers are taxed heavily. At about 50% I started running back to the raid and tanks (trying to keep Melee out of range) and popping Tranq. To give a little breathing room for everyone. This did work and with everyone doing everything we could and more we downed Patchwerk that night.

Embrace your versatility!

World of Warcraft PTR Patch 3.0.8 Notes for Druids

2009-01-07T01:17:00.000-08:00

The latest test realm patch notes can always be found at
http://www.wow-europe.com/en/info/underdev/testrealm.html

Patch notes for the currently live version can always be found at
http://www.wow-europe.com/en/patchnotes/

Druids

Aquatic Form is now available from druid trainers at level 16. - Nice but eh, I'd like to see cat form granted a little earlier than 20. I think a lot of potential druids feel things are a bit of a drag between 10-20 and loose interest.

Feral Attack Power: All weapons now have the potential to grant feral attack power based on their dps (as compared to the best superior-quality weapons available at level 60). Players will see their existing feral weapons grant roughly the same attack power as they did before (+/- 2 or so), but many new weapons will be options for the feral druid. Some feral weapons have had strength converted to attack power to be more appealing to other classes able to equip them. All druids will see the amount of feral attack power granted by an item in the item tooltip, if it grants any, but other players will not see that information. - Very interesting, looks like another DPS for feras! Woot!

Remove Curse and Abolish Poison can now be used in Moonkin form. - this is quite handy of them huzzah to our Boomkin brothers and sisters.

Genesis: Now works with Tranquility and Hurricane.

Growl: Range increased to 30 yards. - I find myself very excited by this. Often when 'bearing out' to get a mob off that healer I may not have the energy to charge in and my growl may not always have range in any given combat situation. I think this is very nice news for kitties and bears alike.

King of the Jungle - The Bear effect is now physical, and thus cannot be dispelled. - Huzzah for our tanking brothers and sisters!

Moonglow: This talent now also benefits Nourish.

Nature's Grace - Now also effects Revive.

Nourish: Wild Growth applied to a target now increases the healing done by this spell by 20% like other heal over time effects. - Huzzah to our resto brothers and sisters!

Polearms: Now trainable by Druids. - You know I want a syth so I can dress her up as 'death' for halloween this year right? Awesome!

Primal Tenacity: Now reduces the cost of Bear Form, Cat Form, and Dire Bear Form by 17/33/50% in addition to its previous effects. - WOOT

Protector of the Pack: No longer changes value based on party size.

Savage Roar: The buff now persists outside of Cat Form but only provides its benefits while in Cat Form.

Starfall: Instead of canceling shapeshifting, now cancels on shapeshifting into an animal form.

Survival of the Fittest: This talent now grants 22/44/66% bonus armor in Bear Form and Dire Bear Form in addition to all of its previous effects.

Swipe: Swipe (Cat) has now been added at level 71, dealing 260% weapon damage, costs 50 energy with no cooldown. All talents affecting the Bear Form version affect the Cat Form one as well. - I have to say I'm really excited to go try this out. Typically with AOE farming I find myself REALLY wishing for an ice mage mostly because kitties only get one target at a time, so I go into bear form. I hope with this I'll be able to do more DPS as kitty with swipe and be able to get down trash mobs and farming mobs a little faster.

Wild Growth now has a 6 second cooldown.

Strength vs. Agility

2009-01-06T05:49:00.000-08:00

I suppose I should say something on this. When I began my little druid I packed strength (STR) on her. I read a bunch of various articles and posts about Agility (AGI) this and STR that and the various bonuses and cons of each.

To say the least I just picked STR because at the time it was the only stat I could quantify in my understanding as ‘better’. I get two whole points of Attack Power (AP) with each point of STR. More is better right? My AP got to ridiculously high, and after I got to 70 in BC I began branching out into AGI. When I did hit, I hit like a mac truck. So I wanted to hit more often and I wanted to not get hit!

DPS shouldn’t be getting hit by mobs… let me just say I understand and uphold that stupid DPS who bought the agro keep it and should be allowed to die. However, we cats bear-out to grab something and cart it back to the tank and hopefully live through the process. Not getting hit is a good thing!

And so at 80 my main focus has been mostly on agility. If something has strength and agility all the better.

If you Google (or yahoo, or msn) the Agility vs. Strength for feral druids your browser may explode with all the information that is out there. Agility for critical strike, for dodge, for this for that – Strength for AP etc. etc., the list really does go on AND ON AND ON.

Having leveled with my focus on STR and then branched out the AGI before WoTLK came out I CAN tell you however that AGI seems to work better. I had my first over 10k crit in a raid the other night. In my experience most Agility heavy items also have a healthy amount of Strength on them now anyways so it’s kind of a dead horse.

The bare bones:

Strength helps cats build Attack Power on a 1:2 ratio

Agility increases our AP as well on a 1:1 ratio.

Agility increases armor by a 1:2 ratio

Agility increases chance to land a critical strike

Agility increases chance to dodge attacks

WoWwiki has a nice little stat comparison summary for us as well.

Scratching Post was born

2009-01-06T02:07:00.000-08:00

I had a brain storm the other day reading Big Bear Butt’s blog. I relied awfully heavily on his and snatches of information from other resources to begin building my feral kitty. For the most part all feral cats who were not much on tanking or off-tanking have gone to the Boom side. They are now dinner… BOOMKINS. I do still love you all but it makes a girl feel like the last cat on the server.

So I got to thinking, am I really the last one? No I’m not, there are other folks out there struggling as much or perhaps more as I did when I started my little Druid over a year ago. So I bring to you Scratching Post (name idea from one of my awesome guildies).

In BC I was told I couldn’t raid as a cat, my DPS was useless. With the love and support of my guild I proved them wrong. Granted I will probably never approach the DPS numbers of the straight DPS classes – EVER. But I can toss out a heal, I can off tank something chewing on a healer, more than likely die in the process but my raid lives on. Embrace your diversity or go roll a hunter (better yet BOTH!).

In WoTLK I am finding DPS numbers higher than my wildest dreams and I want to share my own way of doing things, my own thoughts and share the resources I find specifically for the feral cats making their way in the WoW world and in raiding, instancing, and pugging (WINCE!). I will probably never touch on PvP. I had a bad experience when I was lvl 12 in Warsong Gultch involving a large number of gnome rogues.

Hate.

Gnomes.

So please stay tuned I will be going a bit through my history, sharing current reading habits, stories about instances and my own number crunching. Did I mention I SUCK at math? (Luckily other people are far better than I at it)

Kamma

2008-11-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

I should know better than to go to sleep. I come back to myself in varied degrees of sanity leading me further down the path of madness.

The Lich King bid me to rise, and once more I rise to his command. I awoke in cold stone.. again. I remember dimly stone warmed by fire and sun. So long, I must not remember that, it is better this way. Just the cold, just death. To live is to suffer.

"You did not suffer."

Whirling around I search for the voice, finding nothing I go back to the bidding of my King. Cackling I decended upon the town's folk bringing them release that only death can bring. I did not understand their screaming and my own dry chuckle drowned some of them out.

"I have family... please... No! Oh Light save me..." their crys ring out drowning my laughter.

This is not what you are.. softly the unknown voice whispers. Quickly it is drowned out by the Will of the King.

YOU HAVE NO WILL!

Shaking my head in confusion I smile at my Kings voice giving me direction, giving me purpose once more.

You once were a Hero echos unheard in my mind.

Ward

2008-07-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

Light stretched thin like mist as time moved forwards, and backwards all at once. Strung along in this place was a soul, blessed with the knowledge. The Knowing. Time found her and bound her away before she could complete her task, there was something important, something she must tell someone, and in the light the shadows grew till darkness like seeping oil covered the worlds.

The images flitted through Merell's mind with no grounding purpose as the Wolf stood before her. Memory has returned Merell, you must give it a Voice his thoughts caressed her before leaving her once more.

Merell shook her massive head once more at the ways of the Spirits and tried to go back to sleep, she was warm by the fire. Dakana and Yig were close by, their home in Nagrand made a home by hearth, stories and cooking.

As her eyes drifted back closed it seemed the very earth produced rocks and pebbles to make her old joints hurt and uncomfortable to lay upon. Barring her teeth she snapped irritably then moved to a pile of grasses. Here the wild seemed to be intent on her lack of sleep as bugs found their way past her guard hairs and into her coat.

Shifting from cat to Tauren for fingers and thumbs she gave up and began to cook, steaks and coffee. Dakana could always use some coffee, along with her other weakness ice cream... I am glad I started hiding some for Yig and I she chuckled to herself.

"Return a voice to a memory?" she asked aloud. What on earth was He talking about. Had it even been Him - or just a vision from bad fish?! Merell sighed and rolled her shoulders as she picked up a cast iron pot and took it outside the rounded structure to the stream by her home.

She begun to rent the place in trade for game she hunted and returned to the veterans, the children and the elderly of this place. Nagrand was so much like the rolling planes of home on Azaroth it was hard not to be content here. She hunted the great slender horned ones, the large shaggy creatures that lumbered slowly across the land. It was such a simple task and one she would have done gladly regardless of a little space to call her own.

Thinking of Azaroth she decided she must return to Thunderbluff after eating and seek a vision. Perhaps then she would know what the old Wolf meant, or if there was nothing there but clouded eyes brought on by exhaustion.

Nutak's Tale

2008-07-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

I remember the days I laid listless in one of the camps surrounding Durnhold. I remember the battle that took Doomhammer from us, just as we only begun to care once again. despair like a black void had settled over the people. Our eyes dull like rust on a blade. I remember Thrall taking the armor, talking of peace should it be possible and war if it were not. I felt the elation, the Sprit's responded to him! They were alive once more through us, and with that hope we too felt alive for the first time in years. I remember the battle after, how hard I tried to keep control of the darkness inside. Where my soul was traded to the dark art years before. I remember discovering in that time the New Horde was born that though my soul may be gone in service to my people, my conscious, my WILL is not gone. I will not give into the power, to bath in it's sweet caress is the most forbidden fruit.

I am Nutak, an Orc Warlock in the new age of the Horde where Shamanism has felt the stirrings of it's strength once more among our people. I am a warlock in an age where those stronger than I betrayed our people to fuel their own power. I am barely tolerated, which is just for I know more than any other that the hunger burns in me still.

I meet with the shamans now for exercising my will, my control, my morality. That which is honorable might still spring from my dark bargain. Some service may yet be gifted to my people. Sometimes, in the heat of the battle, when foes are thick I open my tusked mouth wide and cry out a battle scream my eyes flaring red. Then I know the hunger is upon me. I can each day make the decision to stop, not just when it is convenient, or my superiors are watching. Every day I wake and vow that I will be an honorable orc.

I make my way through Hillsbrad now. A journey to see where I was given another chance to live by Thrall. I have seen the remaining small human outposts. I have gone to rescue those who have found themselves careless and fallen into their manacled grasp.

So it is, day in an day out. New tasks for my people, new band of honorable ones who teach me a better way to live so that I may fight well.

~Nutak daughter of the Horde

Fay Secrets

2008-05-14T01:31:00.000-07:00

::prances back and forth on two unfamiliar feet::

I looked back to my sister with an almost horrified look on her face, mirrored by my own.

"This is for the best, go, NOW!" she hissed at me.

I scrambled up a slope ragged scarf over my head, I had found it on a dead elf earlier. I moved towards the slow moving throng of refugees moving through the blasted destruction and soon was just another anonymous face in the crowd.

My body ached, I tried to swing my head back to look behind me as I walked forward and tripped and fell. Just one more injured of the throng but it would take me a while to get used to this two legged walking thing.

I started to cry as I plodded along, tears for my wings lost in the throng around me as we made our way northeast. I had my nose still and it twitched as I smelled ore hidden among the rocks as we passed. Perhaps my sister and I we will start a jem and jewlrey store in the new city. We will hide, we will blend and someday we will free our brothers and sisters from the slavary of the Twisted One.

Freedom

2008-05-14T01:12:00.000-07:00

Evrin looked into the trees above her, water dripping down constantly in the showers of Stranglethorn Vale.

Any of these trees could have been where I killed my twin... the thought crosses her mind unconsiously.

She stood before the gates of Zul'Gurub her white kitten by her side.

Quietly she picked the kitten up and craddled her.

"Ju be food if ja stayin ouut here, bein just a dangerous in der. I tink I take ju wit meh." she pondered quietly to the kitten at her chest.

Absently scratching an ear the troll girl looked at the steps approaching the entrence. The place was heavily guarded but most importantly the rumors she had been chasing lead her here... Hakkar, not just his Avatar was inside. She had to kill him and free the Loa. The spider goddess was already free, and the world felt better for it.

Resolve chilled her bones as she tucked the kitten into a vest, quitly she approached and began to blaze white Light upon her foes turning their own sickness back upon them she slipped inside after making them fall.

The forrest immediatly went dark as Evrin slipped inside and a rain storm swept over the area where Evrin had stood and fought. Guards came to take the bodies away and guards returned. It was like she had never been there for all that the jungle washed her presence from it's leaves.

One thing still watched though... a whisp of angry energy Takki watched her living twin enter the place and silently saluted her. Perhaps one day she would be free to move on from this place.

Awoken

2008-05-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

Nightbloom lingered in spirit in the Dream waiting for word from her sister Merell. Merell always used the moonwells to talk to her of the news of her Tribe, her new sister and her daily wonderings. Nightbloom had not heard from her in some time and had grown concerned.

Eternally young with an odd mix of wisdom Nightbloom went off to hunt for Cenarius... he would know where his Druid was.

She added in her mind And if he dosen't know, I'll just have to go ther to find her.... reborn can't be all that hard can it? she pondered as she skipped mentally to find the demi god.

Evrin

2008-03-06T08:16:00.000-08:00

I moved into the shadow of the rock overhang into the cavern behind the ampatheater. The air cools allmost imediatly and I can smell the faint rot of stagnet water from inside. With me were two others, a Troll shaman nammed Uriz and a Blood Elf warlock I called Last. Together like a tidal wave we smashed through the oposition of the guards patrolling the cavern. We left very little in our wake and soon were joined by a warrior who made our progress all the more swift.

After they had taken the keeper of the key, I moved forward a green pulsing orb sat atop a rock surrounded by water. Quickly and with no reguard to my robes I splashed through the water to take up the vessel that would capture the spirit of Hakkar keeping him from this place for all time. I cackled as we made a swift exit and I journeyed across the the sea to the troll at Steamweedle in Tanaris to notify him of my discovery.

He capered in glee at the find assuring me that in the Sunken Temple were the cursed ones guard their Prophet I would find the impotent godling Hakkar. There His minions would try to stop me and eventually when slain I would see the avatar of the godling come to me. There I will slay him and entrap his essence within the orb I carried. The trolls would be FREE!

It is enough to continue to hunt for now, I will grow strong, and the Light will see me pure. When my time comes, my family, my tribe, my dear twin would be avenged.

I returned to Zul'Farrak to build my strength again. In that place I learned of the true name of the Spider God Elortha no Shadra. The spider aspect, who had fallen when Hakkar gained his power. She I will hunt as well. Perhaps once she is slain in her evil aspect, she can be reborn again to the Lao, Gods of the Trolls instead of Hakkar's minions. I will help her regain her proper place once more.

Slay one god and free another.... the Light will make the path clear to us all in the end.

Evrin: Hunts

2008-02-28T04:15:00.000-08:00

I have traveled far in this short time with my new Tribe. I have
walked the many legues through all weather and still I hunt Him. I
find myself now in Revantusk Village persueing Priestess Hexx in
Jintha'Alor. As the sun rose that morning as I made my way to the
ruins of the once great Amani Empire city lay in squalor as the
Vilebranch trolls defaced it with their unholy magics.

"Des havin no idea who comin fer dem." I spoke quietly to the shadow
wolves.

I threaded my way through the shifting wolves, bare feet quiet on the
grass below me. The sun made the walls glow and I could feel the
emense age of what was before me. Tier after tier of stonework and
ramps. The city was heart breaking. The filth littering it's soul
would soon be seared away by the Light.

I had traveled to Shattrath on the back of a mage's spell and I had
stood before the Naaru in stunned awe. They celebrated the Light, and
with their presence my soul found some peace for my path.

I will hunt Hakkar down, and slay him.

For what he had done to me, my Gods, my people, my sister.

For all these I will walk the rest of my days if need be from one hell
to another to see him gone.

I had heard rumor in Tanaris of an Ancient Egg kept in this once great
city... something that could entrap His essence.... so I can rid it
from this world and all good and decent worlds. My brief exposure to
the city guarded by the Light gave me a glimpse of a greater world,
beyond my own of people diverse and united against another foe. They
will need to wait, until I finish this old buisiness first.

I strode agrogantly to the foot of the soul shattered city in the
forrest and picked my target. I opened my heart and soul to the Light
and it's power filled me giving me clean death to the wicked that
poluted this place.

As the sun reached it's zenith I approached the high alter where the
priestess Hexx strode in and out of a rock cave set into the mountain
side.

My fight to this point had been fairly easy, the Light removing their
foul presense from the once great city. Her magics hammered on me
though for what seemed like hours I spent time enslaved to a helpless
creature while she rained pain and hurt down upon my body and soul.

Finally I did survive battered and badly bloodied but she was
vanquished and thus I stole away with the earth magics of the
hearthstone to the village that lay below guarded and sheltered.

I now heal my hurts and I will need to return. Not just for the keeper
of the key, but I have not found the Egg yet what will place Him in my
grasp.

Evrin: Memory Returned

2008-02-28T04:14:00.000-08:00

Memory Returned

((co-authored by Yig, Author noted))

-----Myself----

The jungle was alive with the latest rain storm, water so thick it
seemed to fall up into the sky rather than down. The ground sunk
beneath the troll's feet. Three small troll girls supporting each
other scraped on knees and elbows terror rolling off them competing
with the rain. Priests of Hakkar were hunting them.

One troll wore her hair on top of her head like a tuft of bright red
sprouting like a mushroom from her head. The other girl split into
two
and you knew suddenly they were twins. Bright red hair spiked from
their head in three rows across the top to fall down in braids around
their shoulders and chest. The family resemblance between them was
uncanny.

The one that was not a twin leaned down "Evrin ju be takin' ur sistah
i'nte de jungle an hide! I be given dem anoder chase."

Evrin's eyes widened and she clutched her sister's arms "Lizra!" she
hissed "Ju canna leave us here." Evrin pleaded.

Thunder rolled down almost on top of them sending them all to their
knees as lightning flashes strikingly into the night.

Lizra shook Evrin a moment till they're eyes bore into each other one
in pleading, one unwilling to hide. Turning away from Lizra, Evrin
gathered her other sister into arms and gasped suddenly. She was too
hot.

"Lizra." Evrin hissed "She be te hot, de wound be goin' bad."

"Ju be de healin' one, no I." With that Lizra disappeared into the
night.

Evrin gnashed her teeth in frustration, trying desperately to keep
from screaming in frustration. Hakkar she seethed to herself. Afraid
that even the name in her mind might bring him down on her and her
twin she gripped her sister close and started further into the
jungle.

Roots, rain mud and fog soon combined to make Evrin essentially lost.
Her twin beside her moaned softly. She be te hot Evrin worried to
herself.

"Shhhh Takki, I help soon we be hid." Evrin was putting it off.
Something raised the hair on the back of her neck whenever she
approached the magic of the Loa to bring healing to pass. Evrin was
small for her age, appearing no more than 5 or 6 when in fact she was
older. Some said it was the Loa keeping her young so she could learn
and heal longer by living longer.

Evrin shook the rain and the thoughts from her face as she found a
tree which looked likely to have hollows higher up to hide them. The
rain still washed down everything and hauling her less than helpful
and hurt sister Evrin left fresh blood on the tree from her hands and
feet.

The rain soon washed it away as the troll girls disappeared into the
canopy of the jungle giant.

Evrin propped her sister into a nook of the tree, miraculously dry by
the trees wide and overlapping leaves. Evrin scrambled down the trunk
once more and left a mark in the trunk that looked a lot like some
wild thing had sharpened their tusks, or scrapped the bark for the
sweet inner lining. What very few knew was how to recognize the mark;
Lizra would as would. Taught to them by their parents since nothing
had ever been safe and a place to hide had to be marked so family
would know where you lay.

Evrin moved back up the tree more swiftly without her sister's weight
and returned to their hollow. Checking her sister's pulse and her
eyes
reaction in the lighting flickers something was terribly wrong. The
wound was going bad and Evrin's nose could smell it just beginning to
fester in her sister's body.

There was no help for it she would have to call on the Loa. Finding a
secure place Evrin called down the power with small ease and fed it
gently into her sister. Her sisters skin brightened grew healthy
looking for just a moment before her skin began to melt from her
face.

"Takki!" Evrin sobbed in shock. Her scream sounded like that of the
hunting cats making their kill sharp savage.

Evrin tried again to call the Loa and reverse the damage, stop the
damage but every time something at the last moment twisted the magic
of the Loa. While trying to save her sisters life she had taken it
instead. Soon there was nothing in front of Evrin but a lifeless
shell
of her sisters body, sobbing and rocking back and forth Evrin stared,
cursed herself, cursed the Loa and wondered what interfered with
their
will. Hakkar. She stopped rocking. The more the priests feed their
damned god the worse the reaction of the Loa got. Were the Loa
corrupt, was Hakkar doing it??!?

Evrin looked down on her sisters ruined face shaking her head. She
never heard the swift approach of foot or her other sister's face as
it appeared over the lip of a branch.

"Evrin?" the voice was soft.

Evrin turned her head towards the voice, eyes empty, devoid of life
the sadness so thick crushed any spark of life from them.

"Lizra... Loa... Hakkar, I be seein Hakkar dead.. I tol' ju dat de
spells all wrong now?" Evrin's body shook violently grief and rage
battling for a place in her mind and heart.

"I be healin her den de last momen' de change!" She finished the last
word with a shreak, her grief though was drowned out by another
rolling arrival of thunder in the skys above.

Lizra gripped her sister's wrist "I no bein jur fault!" she hissed
the
last. Lizra grabbed her and lead her down the tree. Evrin, numb
followed for a moment. She suddenly took her hand out of Lizra's grip
and began shaking her head violently. Evrin kissed her sister's
forhead, and shook her head in denial of what she was about to do, in
apology, in fear. She jumped from the tree landing in a roll and kept
running into the night with the storm raging overhead. She took no
heed to where she was going, but further away.

No where was far enough to run from the memories in her mind. Evrin
was in the midst of doing what she could to protect herself from the
grief and rage too hot in her heart and mind. A corner of her mind
grew and Evrin flew to it, shutting every opening, hiding in the
cave.
Dark, numb, safe; unable to reach her memories, unable to see her
dead
sister.

``````````````````````````

Evrin awoke in the Den surrounded by her pack of the Bad Moon Rising
hair raising on her body, her breath panting and the voice of her
scream echoing against the walls. I am not an orphan was her first
coherent thought. Suddenly she doubled up as an invisible fist of
earth had punched her gut and cried out "Takki!" sobbing in grief
made
new of memories lost.

----Yig----
It was a cold outside the Den in Splintertree post, winter was coming
it could be felt in the damp forest air.
Yig sat quietly on the stump of a long since hewn tree around her was
an alarming array of weapons daggers, swords a spear and sinister
looking rifle. All where varying states of maintenance, nearby a
large
white Windserpent lay coiled the serpents feathery wings covering it
shielding it from the nights chill.
Yig continued rhythmically honing the blade of a dagger periodically
looking up to survey the Post or to take an off pull off her flask.

The silence of the night was suddenly broken by cry from within the
Den.
"Takki!"

Yig perked her head up and cocked her ear towards the Den, inside
could be heard the sounds of someone crying. She set down the
sharpening stone and hopped off the stump moving toward the Den.

"Byakhee watch mas stuff, I be right backs 'kays." She said as she
entered the Den. Upon entering the cave her ears sought out the
sobbing leading her to a small female Troll, she sat doubled over on
her bedroll crying.

Yig crouched down and placed a hand her shoulder, "Yas be 'kays?" she
questioned.

Seeing that she was plainly not alright Yig cast her eyes about
seeing
if someone else better suited to comfort people in distress had
awaken
too, but those who had awoken where already asleep again.

She leaned down a little more and suddenly noticed this girls skin
and
hair colour were startlingly close to her own. "Hey der, what's yer
trouble der." She paused, her mouth hung open briefly before
continuing, "Umm I be sorra yer kinda new 'ere I don't be knowin yer
name yet."

Yig resolving herself that this wasn't going to be fixed quickly she
sat down beside the sobbing figure. "Hey der whys yas cryin? Come
tell
Yig what be workin yas inta such a state." She then blurted out, "Oh!
I be Yig by da way, who yas be?"

----Myself----

Yig the name echoed in her mind. Startled she looked up noticing for
the first time another troll sat before her. Who yas be?, good
question.

Evrin tried gulping for air to speak past the raw grieaf in her
heart.
Holding up a hand one digit extended she panted trying to slow her
breathing she tried to gain control of herself enough to answer part
of the question.

"Is be Evrin..I... I be.. been.. orphan... Orgrimar." She forced
through her mouth. Her heart was beating fast, her breath quick she
had to slow down else she might pass out in front of this member of
her new Pack. She did not want to embarrass herself further before
them.

She was on the verge of thinking herself silly and imagining the
memory and hurt behind the dream as nothing more than a dream. She
then caught full sight of the troll sitting in front of her.
Startled,
she reached out her hand to touch Yig's forehead, her own skin tone
almost disappearing was it so alike. She blinked stupidly at Yig.

Understanding dawned on her like a massive oak had just fell on her
head. "YIG!" she all but shouted. Her Father at one time talked about
his sister and her child, girl troll nammed Yig who had fled. Evrin
shook her head in confusion.

"I be sorry but jur name be de name mah Dah gave his sister's
child.... I toght I was jus an orphan from Orgrimar...but I had a
dream, or be night terror, I jus memborin mah sisters Lizra and
Takki. ...

Freki

2008-02-28T04:13:00.000-08:00

For you to understand my story, perhaps I should start with the story
of my people.

Nearly 25,000 years ago I was an eredar living on Argus. Our
civilization based in magic was vast, and powerful. This power drew
the attention of Sargeras. This Fallen Titan had succumbed to the dark
promises of the Burning Legion and like him, he wanted our resources
as well in trade for more Power than we had ever known before.

Of the three of our leaders, only one turned down this offer. Velen
had seen a vision of what would come should we subject ourselves to
the power of the Burning Legion. There was talk in those dark years
that Velen had tried to warn our other two leaders Kil'jaeden and
Archimonde. His warnings fell on deaf ears as power had consumed them
both. They were lost to us, turning into demons for the Burning
Legion's power to fill them, and they in turn to betray our entire
people.

Velen escaped the world of Argus in the company of those like me, who
did not believe the promises of Sargeras. We barely made it out before
we were all sacrificed to the altar of 'greater power'. Our ship was
the Oshu'gun, and on it we made our home. Through the reaches of space
we fled for years beyond counting. We renamed ourselves the Draenei...
in our tongue it means 'Exiled ones'.

Words cannot describe the passage of time on that ship for many years
we knew nothing but fear stuck in the back of our throats on the run
from what remained of the People we had left behind. Hunted to the far
reaches of space we were rarely two steps ahead.

In that time of flight we were found by the naaru. The naaru had heard
Velen's prayers and they a race of beings dedicated to the fight
against the Burning Legion. They offered us a guide to a place were we
might safely make our home, to learn from the naaru how to combat the
Burning Legion so we one day might join the Army of Light. The naaru
had given us hope, for ourselves, for our future, and that of the
Universe. For the Burning Legion knew no boundaries in it's lust for
destruction.

The naaru lead us to a new world, a promise fulfilled when we finally
set foot upon the green plains. Crisp water and fields of beast and
bird. Draenor, this world we called, and we made it our home in
partnership and respect with the local Orc clans. We began to rebuild
our civilization, our learning, our families. We were however quite
sure to keep our magics hidden for fear that Kil'jaeden find us at
last. Those golden years we traded and respected the Orcs we shared
the land with. I was especially drawn to their Shamman, though rare
was it for an outsider to ever glimpse some of this ancient art of the
Orcs.

In our joy of our new home is where the Legion struck. Using Gul'dan,
Kil'jaeden's second in command they turned the Orcs to their will bent
that the race would feed the army of the Legion. Since our people were
a natural target for Kil'jaeden's wrath the Orc people were turned
against us.

I tried hiding and fighting when I must, at first unwilling to kill
the Orcs who had been if not friends, highly respected neighbors to
us. However, for eight bloody years I learned to fear the Orcs blade
and in return tried to make my own kills swift to release the them
from their enslavement.

In this time Blood Elves had come to Draenor and quickly seized the
power of the Tempest Keep. In a desperate move to save the remaining
of his people Velen tried to take one wing of the Tempest Keep, Exodar
to escape and bring back what help they could find in retaking their
new home. In the battle for control of the Exodar the engine for the
transdimensional jump was severely damaged, and was not realized until
much too late. When we tried to engage it we were thrown out of
control into the Twisting Nether to land, crashed and broken on a
small chain of islands off the coast of Kalimdor called Azuremyst
Isles.

Afterward we had learned the Draenor was no more, there was no more
going home again. An explosion set the planet to pieces drifting in
the Nether. Some of you now know what used to be our home for now it
is called Nagrand.

In the aftermath of our 'landing' and helping the wounded I could, I
went apart from my people for a time.

For I saw all too real what Velen had seen for our people when he
turned down Sargeras's offer. All the peoples in every world are
effected as we are. There is no time for the bickering between the
Horde and Alliance of this world. Or the countless other factions,
fighting and greed of the other worlds I have seen in our flight to
Draenor. It is all pointless.

I sat and lost myself in the void of the sprits, of the Light naaru
shared with us.

I saw the wolf pack below me, all members needed, all members loved.
When one fell another would take their place till they were healed.
They fed their young, the old taught the cubs and in this web of life
balance was born. I flung myself down the paths of the Spirits,
calling out my warning. I showed the dark that had washed over my
people and I shared my despair on the winds that guided me to someone
who would hear my warning. The Legion would not be far behind in
making their war with the people who's land we had crashed upon. I
projected the wolves I had seen to all and anyone who would hear me
and take head the warning I gave. We all must bind together to fight
this threat, for it was not a threat of land, of goods... the Legion
cared nothing for how much money you had, or did not have. This was a
battle for your very existence.

With a jerk I felt someone respond, who's mind was touched so briefly
and gone again. My eyes flew open and I knew someone somewhere had
heard me. Perhaps with warning some of these people could learn and
turn their energies to the real battle.

After I had come fully back to myself after my Spirit Ride I returned
to the Lost Ones to learn what the Orcs had already known. The power
of the earth, the rain, the air and fire. I would need all to sustain
me, both in my fight against the Legion, and in my search for the one
who's mind I touched so briefly.

I am called Freki. Shaman, Spirit Wolf Runner. My story is not
finished for I still draw breath. Perhaps you see now the birth of who
I am, and Light give me strength my chronicles will continue and I
will share what I have found with all.

Merell: Sisters

2008-02-28T04:09:00.000-08:00

Merell took a moment to pause before the Moonwell in Zangermarsh
listening to the spirits as they greeted her. She had been out hunting
with Dakana and Yig once more late into the moon's noon hour. As she
often did as she came to the Moonwell's across the world Merell spoke
to her sister, taken first in the slaughter that had made Merell and
Orphan.

"Good evening little one." Merell's voice crooned to the pool before
her. As many times before Nightbloom answered. "Good evening Merell."

And so the hours were passed by the pool speaking with the spirit of
her dead sister, her voice most strong by the Moonwell's of the world.
Merell told stories of the new family she had met, the Tribe and
talked of the various members to her little sister's spirit.

Of one Pack Mate there were many stories, Dakana. The warrior spirit
in the girls body. Of near death experiences, laughter and tears
Merell told of Dakana and her travels to her sister.

"I would have liked to have known this Dakana, Elder Sib." her voice
drifted from the Moonwell. " I think she is your sister now, and mine
too in a way."

Time in the Dream had made Nightbloom wiser than ever she should have
been. Merell came to think of Moonwells as portols to the Dream, where
the sprits of the Ancestors, of the world and universe could be heard
if you listened correctly.

Days would pass and Merell would find herself yet again telling more
stories of Dakana to her sister, then the weeks flew by, the months
and Dakana and Merell grew in power together. All that was shared was
related to the voice of her sister through the Moonwell's door.

"Nightbloom" Merell paused looking to the surface of the Moonwell
imagining her sister's face. "I have some what I need to ask you
about." Merell blew air out of her nose and mouth and shook her head.
"I want to adopt Dakana as my sister. She would be your sister too,
and for this I need your blessing."

The pool's surface was quiet for a long time when suddenly color
flared in it's surface, the pool a swirl of purple, blue and green.
Arcs of color and liquid jumped through the pool like happy birds
swooping into a full pond.

Nightbloom's voice spoke as the colors faded "It has taken you this
long to see the bond you share? I say it's about time Elder Sib, and I
am happy for you."

Tears filled Merell's eyes as she felt the energy from the Moonwell
rise up and envelop her squeezing tightly as if her sisters arms were
around her once more in the flesh.

"Go to her Merell, bring her to the clan and to me. I want to meet my
new sister."

Knuckling tears from her eyes Merell smiled and took form of the swift
hawk and few out to find Dakana and ask her a very important question.

Merell: Aldor and Scryer:

2008-02-28T04:08:00.001-08:00

Merell met with the robed man benieth one of the Sha'tar of Shattrath
city and was walking along with his familiar. He told a story of how a
great many blood elves have come to the city seemingly to do battle as
directed by Prince Kael'thas yet as one laid down their arms and threw
themselves upon the mercy of the Sha'tar. Merell at once saw sence in
the furitiveness of the Scryer folk in the city. Merell remained
suspicious of such a powerful holy order of Aldor. The poor world had
enough problems with the Burning Legions without adding religious
intollerance as well.

In her time spent with the Scryers she fell in love with the libraries
there, the instructors. Especially the ones who taught her how to
bless items with the Earth Mother's touch.

Her heart broke a little with the small child whispering how he was a
Scryer and therefore subject to suspicion in the predominantly Aldor
city. Merell wondered how peace was kept till she went back to the
robed one benieth the Sha'tar. Then she knew how the peace was kept
but for one or two slain bodies she'd seen in the city, quickly swept
under the rug of politics and policing. The Sha'tar protect the city,
and all of it's inhabitants.

Let me harm none that do not offer harm first. she silently prayed to
the Mother.

Her mind made up she went into the Scryer's tier later that day after
having lived among them for moons and offered her formal allegance.

"I Merell Feathermane, Pack of the Tribe of Bad Moon Rising, Tauren of
the Wildmane clan offer my allegience to the Scryers."

To Merell the eons of study the Aldor have maintained in their fight
against the great enemy was worthy and a right thing to do. However,
Was it not more honrable to learn the path you walk is evil, and
change your path?

Merell: Feather and Talon

2008-02-28T04:08:00.000-08:00

Merell returned to Shattrath shortly after wedding two of her clan
sibs. The first of such ceremonies she had ever performed. Calling
upon the Mother and her elements the dark furred Tauren felt a great
peace in her heart and soul.

After an evening working with Keva in Blades Edge she returned again
to Nagrand, with it's wide blue sky, rolling medows and islands in the
air. Laying on her back watching the clouds blink and fitz near the
islands in the sky she closed her eyes and sank into herself.

Perhaps it is the Dream she finds in these odd moments where the
Mother comes to her. Cenarius is with the Mother strolling down an
unseen path towards her prone figure. Gracefully the Mother lowers
herself to the dark furred Tauren and lays the palm of Her hand
against the Taurens heart.

It is time Her voice whispers through Merell's mind.

Cenarius sits at her head and lays his hands on her temples. With the
Mother's consent he begins.

Merell is whisked in her mind further... deper into the Dream. Green
diamond scaled dragons soar overhead calling her to join them. She
hears Cenarius' voice in her mind.

No, not that form young one. This one. In Merell's mind the form of
the golden hawk forms, it's sharp beak, curving talons. Every inch she
takes in the form, the light. Step by step, take it in, fix the
details in your mind, pour yourself into this image.

With exacting detail Merell memorizes every nuance of the feathered
form before her, inside her. The dragons continue to call her. She
pushes it asside with some regret and pulls herself into the image,
every feather perfectly placed, the wind ruffling the light down on
her chest. Her talons sinking into the soft earth. She blinks a couple
times, shifting her head to better see things around her.

The Mother's hand on her chest is now scratching the warm down of her
feathers and smothing them back into place while Cenarius' hands at
her temples lay flat and run down her back to her tail feathers.

Go child of mine, go learn your feathers. the Mother's warm caress of
a voice fills the Taruen's soul.

With a cry of joy Merell is lifted into the air by Cenarius and tossed
into the air, strikeing her wings to either side she flaps, and drops
a little too low. Finally after some desprate flapping she learns to
scoup the air with her wings, to push it down, and herself up. Ever
upward to the great flying things in the air above her. They call out
to her roaring in greeting. She crys out in return and together they
wheel through the air of the Dream.

She is reminded of what is the root of her world. This deadly and
beautiful paradise is what she and her Tribe fight to restore, to
keep, to defend. With the bloodshed never ending it is hard to
remember what lays beyond her own survival and that of the Tribe.

Reeling through the air she plays for a time a game of catch the
dragon that soon disolves into chase the hawk. Though playful she
learned the sharp manuvering nessacary to defend herself in the air
from above, and below.

She dives towards the figures on the ground, the Mother and Cenarius.
Cupping her wings at the last minute she back beats to land on the
ground.

"I See Mother" she says to the glowing form of the Mother.

The Mother nods That is good. Time will call for your strength of
wing, to scout, to escape what cannot be fought. Use it to defend this
land, this home and those others you make your own. Her hand comes out
to cup the beak as she bends to brush lips of energy across the hawk's
crown.

It is time to return to sleep, to the other place. Never forget one is
as real as the other. Cenarius says in fairwell.

As the forms around her disolve she lets go of the hawk to simply lay
furred once more upon the ground. Blinking she opens her eyes briefly
to the sky above Nagrand. Content she closes her eyes yet again and
sinks into true sleep and rest.

Merell: The path to heal, the path to fight, the balance between

2008-02-28T04:04:00.000-08:00

I was left shaking on the ground. The Earth Mother's touch is not
always gental and loving. Sometimes it is her wrath, her
disappointment. She was right of course. I had been expending too much
of my time to the destruction of what is evil, what uses other's in
the world. While She appriciated my restoring a ballance, my soul had
darkened in the endless blood bath.

She left me with a gift, the gift to heal, far more than I already
did. It left me feeling weak, crippled. My strength gone, surviving by
stelth, only confronting things in groups. I had been a solitary
hunter for the most part. Occasionally I would run with Dakana and
others of the Tribe. Now my power left me one avenue, to maintain
others so they may venture forth into the frey. Distancing myself, so
that I may learn. At least that is what I thought She had in mind.

It turned out regardless of Her intent, or perhaps because of it I
began to see. I began to see that I had been taking delight in
removing evil things from this world. To take delight is to tempt
chaos and destruction. It was better I began to think after a moon's
phase to think upon it as releasing the soul from it's evil binding,
not enjoying the death I brought. Better to morn their passing,
understanding that they themselves may have never choosen the path
that they were forced to walk. Or were betrayed into. It is better to
kill quickly, cleanly lest their corruption touch you in the form of
battle maddness.

My healing hand touched many, the Earth Mother having granted me a new
form perhaps to remind me how I am bound to the earth, to things that
grow, the wolf does not kill for lust. He kills to defend, to feed. A
tiny spark of corruption had touched me, and in my wooden skin I saw
it laid bare and began to heal it.

Colors around me were brighter, the air was cleaner and again the
Earth Mother came to me, Wolf trotting by her side. I fell upon them
both with tears of grief and shame that I had needed to be reminded,
that I had needed to heal that which never should have happened.

"Come child," she whispered in my mind "do not think upon it more."
Her touch was cool and clean like a mountain spring. "You did not
fail, you misstepped and We were here to help guide you back on your
path. Now that you have seen the other way, do not forget it."

I snorted in spite of myself, "I do not think I will forget." I said
aloud.

Wolf fur brushed me, and I felt my strength come back to me. I would
still heal those around me but never again to the fullest extent
sapping my strength with it. I could defend myself once more.

She and the Wolf brushed my mind and the trick of wooden skin was
gone, but the memory was there. I would never become so completely
focused on death, and the blood bath that I took joy in it.

I could take joy in surviving, to defend, to hunt to feed. I crawled
back to the den leaving my guilt of a path lost and rediscovered
behind. Joy I took in my Pack, and my family.

I felt Her smile upon me and stood up, knowing I walked true once
more.