A Dark and Stormy Day

I live on Okinawa and this week started out with a Tropical Storm hitting the island.  So as the storm hit the island, I got to stay home from work.  Since I couldn't go anywhere, I spent the day playing WOW, and watching season 1 of Eureka.  Great Show by the way,  go watch it. Anyway, I've managed to finish Loremaster of the Eastern Kingdoms on that day.   I'm going to start working on the rest of the Kalimdor quests soon (300 of 700 completed).

I also did a lot of raiding this week,  I completed Magtheridon's Lair, Gruul's Lair, Zul'Aman, Molten Core, Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj, the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj, Karazhan, as well doing some heroic Icecrown citadel (10-man). 

I also finished up questing in Hellfire Peninsula, giving me the first step for Loremaster of Outlands.  I've also been busy working on professions and their associated acheivements.  I got cooking up to 350, so I could start the Dalaran cooking dailies, and got Chef d'Partie, the Dalaran cooking Reward, Grand Master Cook, Skills to the pay the bills, & as a side note picked up Ultimate Triage, dropping a frostweave bandage on guild member after a duel.  I dropped Inscription a couple of weeks ago and started working on Engineering.  I really like the different items I can make, and I'm really looking forward to the changes coming to Engineering in Cataclysm.  The changes coming to Inscription look interesting as well, so I need to decide if I'm to go have one of my alts relearn the proffession before Cataclysm or just wait and have my Worgen learn it. 

I finished up the coin fishing achievements done on Greigol, my Paladin, so he now has his Titanium Seal, and working the jewelcrafting dailies to get all the cuts, very slow going.  Paksenarrion, my warrior, reached level 56, and completed the Black Rock Depths achievement yesterday.  A problem with the LFD system, especially in dungeons they split up like BRD is letting the party know which boss they need to find and kill to get the bag.  Leveling enchanting has been slow going, but I've gotten into the Outland enchants now and it's starting to go faster. 

News in the Wind

Almost down with Loremaster of the Eastern Kingdom, I have over 600 quests done and plenty of quests to still pick up, especially since I haven't touch the starting areas yet.   Need to finish the quest lines in Zul'Drak and start Grizzly Hill to get Loremaster of Northrend.  Outlands and Kalimdor both have a lot of work to do.

Dropped Inscription and picked up Engineering yesterday.  I'm already at Journeyman using the mats I previously collected/made on my hunter, plus a couple of runs through Loch Modan and Westfall to pick up copper.  In related note, finished up the third OOX quest and got the mechanical chicken pet.

Daria Fanfiction - Grendel Vivant

Here is some scenes I wrote for a Daria/Grendel Crossover, just follow the link below.  It's also posted over at the PPMB.

Grendel Vivant

Note: Updated story link to point to my Deviant Art page

Blog Azeroth Shared Topic - How is your Class Viewed

There is a new shared topic up on the Blog Azeroth Forums.  Asking how you think your class is viewed by the various NPCs in the game.  Here is my take on how Strumwulf, my Death Knight is viewed.

Greetings fellow traveler, my name is Strumwulf.  I am a Death Knight in the service of the Alliance.  I was recently asked by an acquaintance how the people of the world view me.    So I’ve decided to report on what I’ve experienced.

From the moment, I left the Lich King’s service at Light’s Hope Chapel, the common people and the guards of the various towns and cities have reacted with hate and disgust.  I am a reminder of what they have lost to the Horde and the Scourge.  Even with Varian’s Wrynn declaration, I’m still barely tolerated. 

The innkeepers, flight masters and various vendors pay me little mind, beyond offering the services they have, and as word of my service has reached their ears, I’ve been offered discounts on goods and repairs.

I’ve gotten various reactions from the people who are asking for help across Azeroth and Outlands.  In the areas closest to the capital cities or areas hit hardest by the scourge, the people were for the most part were gruff and short-tempered.  They would give a task, grudging hand over the promised reward and send me on my way with barely a word.  On the other hand, the people from places like Duskwood were initially cautious of me, but they were so short-handed fending off attacks from the worgen and scourge that any help was a welcome relief.    Organizations like the Argent Dawn and the Cenarion Circle, welcomed my assistance as if it was their due.   

I was first truely welcomed with open arms in the Outlands where the Sons of Lothar were more concerned with how well my blades could cut down the demons and orcs populating Hellfire peninsula, then where or how I learned how to fight. 

Upon returning to Northrend, I was known as a hero and was thrown into the front lines.  People were asking for my help left and right or telling me where someone was who need assistance.   The Red and Green Dragons warily worked with me, something about being outside the cycle of life.  The Black dragons saw me as tool to throw at a problem, and the Bronzes were inscrutable in their reasons and decisions. 

Working with the Ebon Blade again was coming home after a long absence.  The Argent Crusade treated me a boon companion, as did the Frostborn.  The Kirin Tor had little regard for me, beyond that I could complete the tasks that they set forth.

This is what I’ve seen and experienced, what have you seen?

Back to business

Haven't been playing very much Warcraft the last few weeks, between work and building a new desktop it has been hectic.  Trying to finish up the Loremaster achievements before Catacylsm strikes, and finished up the Howling Fjord quests earlier last week, broke 600 quests complete for the Eastern Kingdoms, and started working on quests in Ungoro Carter for Kalimdor Loremaster.  Patchwerk was the weekly for Skywall, and I got the Make Quick Work Achievement for taking him down.  I also finished the Tirion Fordring quest in Eastern and Western Plaguelands, as well as doing Strumwulf's first Baron run in Stratholme.  Didn't get the mount though.

I've also started playing Starcraft II.  I'm having a good time playing through the campaign, and learning about the different units and the tech development as I play each mission.

Here is a nice screenshot from one of the Howling Fjord quests that goes well with Strumwulf's name:

Strumwulf as a Wolf

What I've been up to

Last couple of weeks have been slow in game, no raiding, and generally just logging in long enough to clear my mailboxes, and repost items on the Auction House, and do my dailies, as well as the occasional quest.  Real life has been busy and my motivation to play hasn't been there.  My desktop computer decided to stop working, and it's been an adventure figuring what's wrong with and deciding if I wanted to try and fix, or get a new computer.  I decided to try to fix the computer, but because I didn't take the time to research what I actually needed to fix, and what could actually fit in the current case, fixing the computer has turned into building a new computer.  I'd get one thing, find out it didn't fit or work with the old computer, and go get a new part to match the part I just bought.  I've learned a lot about building computers over this time.  Sometimes you just have to get your hands into the guts of a project to really learn.

Wrapping up the Fires

Well, I finished the Midsummer Fest achievements on Strumwulf.  Paksenarron reached level 50 and managed to extinguish all the Horde Fires in the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.  I managed to gain a level on my shaman, Sialina, but she didn't get to see very many fires or places along the way.

Strumwulf also got the achievements for 2000 quests, completing the quests in  Sholozar Basin & Nesingwary's Northrend quests. As well as completing all of the Frenzyheart dailies.  I should reach exalted with them in about 2 weeks, then I switch to the Oracles and starting trying to get the green proto-drake for Strumwulf.  Strumwulf acquired the pony for his Argent Tournament Squire and picked up a Ring of the Kirin Tor.   This should make working on the Eastern Kingdom and Kalimdor Loremaster a bit easier.