Lance, Daiske and a hot mid-summer's dream

Its been quite a few days since I blogged, manly because I was up to my neck - once again - with work. But... I also tried a little wow experiment. After 4 years (I am not sure how long its been, I feel I have been referring to those `4 years' for ages) I managed to put myself in a mental state to level an alt. Granted, its a death knight and it feels like I am cheating :p. However, bearing in mind the whole `slackness' of the summer-time, I felt its a good opportunity to level up Daiske, my human (yes I can be really boring..) death knight. And level up alchemy on the side, to have one more useful profession available to me, as Lance is a miner and an engineer (as is yours truly... the engineer part, not the miner...).

I must admit that death knights are fun to play and sure as hell are a quick level-up. I am half-way to 68 and my plan is to hit Borean Tundra once I become 68. Contrary to Lance's path, Daiske will enter Northrend in BT and maybe, just maybe go to Howling Fjord once I get a couple of levels. Truth be told, the whole experiment is primarily done for the herbs and the flasks. That is why I am eager to enter Northrend. On the other hand, I must admit that gearing up in a relaxed manner a character, often checking the Auction House, drooling over gear I have never looked at and feeling that itchy hand caressing my wallet is... refreshing (ok ok, I am just trying to sound poetic, don't laugh). Yes, levelling Daiske brought some nice memories of the past, when I was levelling Lance to 60. When gear was out of reach and raiders seemed like semi-gods. Now things are different. So, going back, even if its for a few precious `virtual' moments... its sure is refreshing. If Daiske hits 80 then the next bit will be to get my `pet' rogue levelled up. Now that will be truly hard...

Lance is there though, going to the guild's raids - which by the way have not suffered from attendance that much - definitely much less than last year. I am still doing those AT dailies for the gold and the tokens. After all, that AT tabard and the new Charger are essential for a true paladin...

P.S. I also got season tickets for my favorite football team - (soccer to my US friends) which might result in me loosing a couple of raids in the future. But at the end of the day skipping a few raids has always been the trick to the longevity of my playtime in Wow. I still enjoy it a lot and those precious breaks now and then - or slowdown of gaming pace to be precise - kept me going.

P.S. Holidays are coming... Swimming with the missus under the hot Hellenic (correct term for Greek) sun... who cares about Arthas...

Turalyon returns...

During my brief holiday, last week, I read Beyond the Dark Portal - from Rosenberg and Golden. I must admit that the story was not as griping as the War of the Ancients but it was good enough to `glue' certain periods of the lore. Its based on Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal game that was released about twelve years ago

To briefly sum it up the book is basically about the Expedition Force - assembled by the paladin Turalyon, Alleria Windrunner (sister of Vereesa, Rhonin's companion and Sylvanas), Khadgar, Danath Trollbane and Kurdran Wildhammer- that ventured through the Dark portal, sometime before the tBC era and destroyed it, preventing themselves from return to Azeroth for sometime until the portal was recreated in tBC. Their opponent was Ner'Zhul, leading the Horde, trying to open portals to other worlds and somewhat Deathwing taking sides with the Horde. Grom and Garrosh Hellscream, Teron Gorefiend, Rexxar and Gul'dan fill in the puzzle of the notable lore figures. Now I won't say anything more for the story, you might as well read it, or indeed play WCII, if you are interested, instead of me spoiling it. I will just mention for those unaware of it that the members of the Exhibition can bee seen as statues at the entrance of SW. More importantly, Khadgar can be found in Shattrah, Kurdran in Shadowmoon Valey and Danath in Honour Hold. But Turalyon and Alleria are missing...

Alleria - scetch from - Onetamad @ deviantart

... and also have a past between them. The story mention's their love afair; one of the most important love afairs, save for the Illidan - Malfurion - Tyrande and the Kael'thas - Jana - Arthas affection triangles. However its quite more substantial as we found out in tBC as there is a child, namely Arator, the Reedemer (apparently the only half-elf paladin in game) in Honor Hold.

Since I am a fool for all things Paladinish, Turalyon - just as Tirion and the Morgraines - always intrigued me as a lore figure. And although we still have not seen him he is... back. Or at least his armor is...So is Alleria's. Although there are two more Windrunners... ah complicated as always...

The new armor sets allegedly destined to be Tier 9 bear the names of notable lore figures as can bee seen bellow and in this post:

• Mage: Khadgar (A) / Sunstrider (Dath'Remar and Kael'Thas)(H)
• Warlock: Kel'Thuzad (A) / Gul'dan (H)
• Priest: Velen(A) / Zabra Hexx (H)
• Druid: Stormrage (Malfurion obviously)(A) / Runetotem (H)
• Rogue: Van Cleef (A) / Garona (H)
• Shaman: Nobundo (A) / Thrall (H)
• Hunter: Windrunner (Vereesa & Alleria (A), Sylvanas (H))
• DK: Thassarian (A) / Koltira (H)
• Paladin: Turalyon (A) / Liadrin (H)
• Warrior: Wrynn (Llane, Varian and Anduin)(A) / (Grom and Garrosh) Hellscream (H)

Notice that both Walocks are notoriously evil (Kel'thuzad can bee seen strolling in Southshore in the CoT: Old Durnhold, where as Ner'zul is what we now know as the Lich King). Turalyon is paired to Liadrin (as if there was another choice...) where as the Wrynn dynasty of warriors is well paired with the Hellscream's. You can check the rest of the pairs with links to some basic lore info.

To my knowledge this is the first example of `named' tier gear, instead of the usual epic names such as Lighforge, Conqueror's and the lot. I am not sure what this turn in naming policies means but using such names for the gear sounds... like a hint for something. I am curious...

As far as Turalyon and Alleria are concerned...

We have no clues on where they are and for some of us, hooked on paladins, their appearance is greatly anticipated. Turalyon was Lothar's apprentice in the Alliance chain of command, so to speak and a paladin of great strength. He was High General of the alliance forces during the time of BtDP, exhibiting great courage and association to the Light, while remaining humble (and a tad lovestruck). I would love to see him emerge sometime in the future, although I do not think we will see him in WoTLK. Probably more possible to appear in some part of the game revolving around Deathwing. Still, seeing his name triggered that part of the lore in my mind so I thought I'd share the references.

If you are interested Wow lore, searching and digging into the names depicted in the armor kits will direct you to some of the most aspects of the lore. Otherwise, if you are not interested you might as well laugh on how hideously ugly the paladin Horde set looks...

DPSing in a healer's costume...

Yesterday Escape made a few attempts in killing Yogg without the help of Mimiron. We attempted to go with minimal number of healers and that meant that yours truly was to go DPS into the brain.

Facts:

• My gear is better than Naxx level by a couple of pieces but overall based on tier 7. I do not consider this as adequate and our RL and officers were aware of that.
• I have not raided significantly as retry, nowhere near as much as the 1/10 of my raiding experience as Holy which spans for about 4 years.
• I am accustomed to the healer's type of awareness, not a melee DPSer's and only now I am beginning to develop the latter (after the introduction of dual specs)
• I do not consider myself particularly skillful and I had never seen this fight from another perspective but as a healer outside the brain room.

As you can imagine my presence as a warrior of light was... miserable. I constantly failed to get out in time of the brain room, sometimes because I was not clicking properly, others because I was seemingly late. Although I can not fathom how faster I could be. That, coupled with some reluctance on certain parts of the fight and a misunderstanding with the portals did not help much. In fact it was so bad that I was banging my hand on my desk like XT having a tantrum. My wife-to-be was having seconds thoughts on my mental state... I am not happy at all wiping my raid, I am not happy at all wasting the time of others and I am not happy at all not being in control of my game. But...

Bearing in mind the facts above I must say I find it fairly reasonable. My performance I mean. Yes, the fact I sucked as DPSer. Out last attempt of the night was with the help of Mimiron, me healing in the brain room, our druid brain healer going boomkin and us one-shoting Yogg. Well, one-shoting him with Mimiron and me as healer at least :-p. I was sooooo pumped up with being back in the healers boots that for the first time in many raids I was first in healing. You see my healing style does not ever earn me any meter-prices; I like to believe (or fool myself) its more subtle. And no portal issues this time, going out of the brain room fast. Still... I felt so good to be in control of my game, so good to be back where I feel comfortable that I gave it all I had. Maybe it was guilt for screwing up and wiping my brothers-in-virtual-arms. Maybe because I wanted to prove myself to what I know best. Maybe because I wanted to have my vengeance from my other self. Kind of my real-life work situation these days. But that is a different matter...

Yogg fell, but I could not help thinking of what I had seen. I have been immersed in a different game, where my awareness of the surroundings was totally different. The closest experience I had of a melee play style was judging light in MC and smacking things with my Quel'Serrar for kicks. Ok and some 5-mans. But I had to make an impact here, watch the raid, stop thinking of those bars going black and watch the bloody clouds. Oh, the ordeal of a healer in DPSers boots...

Still... I am not giving up. I will continue to gear my paladin for retribution and I will be there when my RL needs me. Even that will be a rare occasion, rarer as I continue to fail :p . My holy set is almost complete, some tiny bits and pieces here still needed. Granted, it will take some time before I develop the situational awareness of a DPSer. But... as with anything in my real life that is difficult and seems daunting, or impossible... I will push forward as much as I can afford. I'll try to not do it at the expense of others.

Vengeance will be mine... Cookies too...