Kharins Quest

The Darkmoon Faire is now welcoming visitors to Darkmoon Island for fun and mayhem.  While still under the management of Silas Darkmoon, the Faire is no longer the washed out carnival of the past. It has been radically revamped – including a lead in quest, teleport to the staging post, a whole new area, more games, mounts, companion pets, achievements, quests & dailies. During the weeklong celebration of the Faire at the start of each month, Darkmoon Faire Mystic Mages in the factional capitals offer the lead-in quest (The Darkmoon Faire).  They will also – for a small fee – teleport you to the staging area of the Faire in Goldshire, Elywyn Forest (Alliance) or near the base of Thunderbuff, Mulgore (Horde).  A portal at the staging area transports you the Darkmoon Faire Isle shrouded in mist and mystery somewhere in the Great Sea.

On arrival, take the path (marked by arrow) down through the dark woods (watched by the flashing eyes in the bushes reminiscent of Duskwood), until you come to the carnival area.  Like Shattrath, Dalaran and the Argent Tournament, the path through the woods and Faire are Sanctuary areas with fighting between factions forbidden.  This, however, is not true of other parts of the Island.  At the south end of the carnival area on the Boardwalk are two portals back to Alliance and Horde staging areas.

The Faire now offers new attractions, monthly quests, dailies, achievements, reputation and vendors of rare and mysterious objects.  Moreover, the Tauren Chieftains currently play at the Faire regularly.  The Exposition, South, West and East Pavilions are still under construction – no doubt  new experiences and rewards await us once they are completed.

Vendors

From their different booths or carts, Darkmoon vendors offer (in exchange for Darkmoon Faire Prize Tickets though sometimes for gold) diverse wares such as special food, drink, epic and heirloom gear,  Darkmoon game tokens, balloons, novelty items, speciality fireworks, companion pets and mounts (including a Dancing Bear).    The Darkmoon tickets (placed in your currency page) are earned by doing the monthly quests or the dailies and replace the now old tattered and useless tickets earned before 2012.

Attractions

The games and attractions have been expanded from the old faire and have a midway or sideshow alley feel about them.

The Games

Each of the games requires a Game Token. They can be purchased in a pouch (5 tokens) or sack (20 tokens) from Zina Sharpworth at the north entrance of the Faire grounds, Sazz Coincatcher next to the Shooting Gallery or Trixi Sharpworth closer to the Boardwalk in the south. Dismount (if mounted) and speak to the appropriate vendor when ready to play.  A special tool bar will appear for one minute.  Additional tokens will give additional minutes of play. Each game is associated with a daily which awards a prize ticket and reputation (see below).

• Tonk Battle Blast targets with your steam tonk while avoiding damage by enemy zeppelins and tonks.  Use the nitrous boost if you are marked by the enemy tonk to shake them off. (In the separate arena you can battle against tonks of other players though this does not award a ticket.)
• Cannon Launch yourself from the 5000 Blastenheimer Ultra Cannon operated by Maxima Blastenheimer.  Once launched you can float with your wings, or shed the wings to land on or near one of the targets in the sea.  Landing nearby gets you 1 point, within the ring gives you 3 points and a bulls eye gets 5 points.  You can speak to Fozlebub, who is fishing on the shore, to port you back to the canon for a small fee.
• Whack-a-Gnoll While Sayge doesn’t really approve, this is a fun filled game in which the aim is to whack gnolls.  Speak to Mola to play the game. Three types of gnolls pop out of the barrels – aim to hit the regular (give 1 point), Hogger (give 3 points) and avoid the babies which will stun if you hit them. After one minute players are stunned and transported out of the ring.
• Ring Toss – the aim of this game is to toss rings on to a pole on the back of a slow moving turtle.  Make sure you are standing close to the counter and then place the targeting circle on the turtle and click.  This is by far the easiest game and should only need one game token to complete the corresponding daily.
• Shooting Gallery – shoot targets at Rinling’s booth.  Make sure you are standing against the counter (not on it or back from it) and shoot at the target with the green arrow over it.  Hitting the target within a second of the arrow appearing awards quick shot.

Other Attractions

• Fortune Teller- the Gnoll Sayge will give you an hour buff (e.g. Damage, Intelligence, Armor) once you have answered a series of questions.  He will also supply written fortune cookie style sayings on request.
• Zoo & Petting Zoo – a large display of exotic animals plus a small area where you can ride a Darkmoon pony (for I Was Promised a Pony achievement) or ram.
• Darkmoon Deathmatch – Korgal Crushskull places a chest full of goodies at the centre of the fighting pit to be claimed by the quick, the strong and the brave every 3 hours from midnight.  Winning the bout awards a trinket and Darkmoon Duelist achievement.
• The Tauren Chieftains – the Chieftains are currently playing hourly on the stage at the south end of the Carnival.  If you haven’t experienced this show, it’s well worth experiencing the show.

Monthly Quests

There a couple of general quests (available from level 5).

• The Darkmoon Faire – Lead in quest obtained from Darkmoon Faire Mystic Mages in the factional cities – often near either auction houses (eg Ironforge, Stormwind City) or the gryphon or windrider handlers (eg Orgrimmar, Darnasuss  & in a way at Thunderbluff,).  On handing the free voucher to Gelvas Grimgate, he will give you Darkmoon Adventure Journal & 5 prize tickets.
• Test Your Strength – the Strong woman Kerri wants you to collect 250 grisly trophies to show you strength.  These drop from creatures that award honour or experience as long as you have the Adventure Guide.  Awards 10 Prize Tokens.

The majority of the monthly quests linked to professions become available at Level 10 (& are not available to lower level toons even if they have trained in one or several professions.)

Quests connected to secondary professions

• Fun for the Little Ones – Collect 15 fossil fragments from Archaeology for Professor Thaddeus Paleo to bury in the sandpit for the children.  Handing in the quest gives +5 in Archaeology skill, a Game Token, 3 Prize Tokens and Darkmoon Faire Rep.  The fossil fragments will be used up.
• Spoiling for the Salty Sea Dogs - Stamp Thunderhorn asks you to catch 5 Herring in the ocean around Darkmoon Island.  Awards +5 fishing skill, 1 game token, 3 prize tokens, experience and reputation.
• Putting the Crunch in the Frog – Stamp Thunderhorn asks you to flour and cook 5 plump frogs, using the cauldron at the back of his stall.  You will need simple flour from a trade goods vendor (for Alliance – Tharynn Bouden stands near the staging area at Goldshire).  Awards +5 cooking skill, 1 game token, 3 prize tokens, experience and reputation.
• Putting the Carnies Back Together Again – Heal 4 injured Carnies with the bandages supplied by Chronos. Awards 5 points in First Aid, 1 game token, 3 prize tokens, experience and reputation.

Primary professional skills

Most of the professional quests can be completed without leaving the faire grounds, except perhaps when common trade goods like coarse thread, blue dye or simple flour are needed.   There are either collecting or crafting quests, for instance:

• Tan My Hide – Scrap 4 skins staked out around the carnival Grounds.  Awards +5 Skinning Skill, 1 game token, 4 prize tokens, experience and reputation.
• Rearm, Reuse, Recycle – Ringling asks you to collect 6 Tonk metal scraps around the Faire grounds.  Awards +5 Mining Skill, 1 game token, 4 prize tokens, experience and reputation.
• Eyes on the Prize – Ringling (at the Shooter’s Gallery) asks you to use the Darkmoon construction kit and some common vendor items (shiny baubles available from the Fishing Vendor in a booth on the Board Walk, blue dye, coarse thread) to construct 5 Darkmoon Prizes.  Awards +5 Leatherworking Skill, 1 game token, 4 prize tokens, experience and reputation.
• Keep the Faire Sparkling – cut 5 sparkling gemstones from bits of glass found about the Faire grounds.  Awards +5 Jewell crafting Skill, 1 game token, 4 prize tokens, experience and reputation

There are also specific quests for inscription, blacksmithing, enchanting and tailoring.

Dailies

Dailies require a specified number of points or hits within the different games of the Faire.  The scores can be accumulated over a number of game sessions (not just within the minute). It’s Hammer Time (Whack-a-Gnoll) requires 30 points; Tonk Commander requires hitting 30 targets, He Shoots , He scores! (Shooting Gallery) requires 25 of hits, Target: Turtle! requires landing 3 rings while  A Human Cannonball needs 5 points (a bulls eye or some combination of points).  Each daily rewards one Darkmoon Prize Ticket.

Achievements

There are a range of new achievements (look under World Events: Darkmoon Faire) from the dead easy (e.g. Come One! Come All! – attend a Darkmoon Faire), to the relatively easy (e.g. Step Right Up – play all 5 of the Faire games or Faire Favours – complete at least 6 profession-based DM Monthly quests) to the more difficult (Darkmoon Duelist – win the Darkmoon Deathmatch and receive the pit fighter trinket)!  At this stage at least, there is no meta-achievement or title for completing a number of these achievements.

Reputation

Monthly quests and dailies all award Darkmoon Faire reputation. Darkmoon Cards can still be collected and can be handed in to Professor Thaddeus Paleo in exchange for a trinket and reputation with the Faire.

All in all, the Darkmoon Faire now offers many more incentives to visit.  Now visitors will surely include – not only those who wish to build Darkmoon Rep for the Insane in the Membrane Achievement or to hand in the Darkmoon cards for quickly surpassed Trinket– but anyone who would like to level their professions, get some cool new companion pets or mounts, or some classic armor to use as a model on which to transmogrify their current set or just for a change of scenery or some pvp fun in the pit.

With a name like Darkmoon, it is little wonder that the Faire has a dark and mysterious atmosphere accentuated by the perpetual misty twilight of Darkmoon Island – from stormy sky, to the twisting path hemmed in by dark twisted trees leading downwards with its enticing verse*, the bodiless red eyes winking in the dark bushes, the almost deserted woods surrounding the faire grounds and, over the entrance, the large staring fiery eye – so reminiscent of Tolkien’s Eye of Sauron –gazing at all who approach and enter in the Faire grounds.  So far the amusements of the faire seem mostly innocuous.  As the official promo says,

“Mist-shrouded Darkmoon Island is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. It’s a place of mystery and wonder, and you wouldn’t believe the deals we made to get it… or who we made ‘em with. But never mind that, just follow me right through here and I’ll show you what the Darkmoon Faire is all about.”

Do I detect just a hint of intrigue here? What deals have been made and with whom?  Sometimes, a path that seems enticing and innocuous can  lead one into darkness, distress, danger and despair.  What harm can seeking one’s future fortune do? Caveat emptor Let the buyer beware!

Kharin

-The signs on the Darkmoon Path leading to the Faire

Winter’s Veil is here again with presents under the tree, including a Sweater to go carolling in, while the Abominable Greench – bigger, meaner and more ambitious than before – is doing his best to spoil the season’s fun.  Even as the dwarves and taurens lament that Azerothians have forgotten the true meaning of Winters Veil; a huge green raid-style elite yeti, the Abominable Greench has stolen Metzen the Reindeer and the Winter Veil treats, impounding them in or near his cave in the Hillsbrad Foothills. Here he fiercely guards his spoils from all comers.

In 2011 Winter Veil remains substantially the same – though there are two main changes:

Firstly, the new ???  Boss Level Greench has stolen the Winter Treats AND kidnapped Metzen – so there is no longer the need to traipse over to Tanaris or Searing Gorge this year.  On the other hand, the quest is now restricted to toons 80+.  After accepting You’re a Mean One from Wulmort Jinglepocket (Alliance) or  Kaymard Copperpinch (Horde), head to Growless Cave in the Hillsbrad Foothills.  The Greench has 3.44M health and have some powerful indirect  attacks (Abominable Crush & Throw Winter Veil Trees) as well as crowd control spell Throw Strange Snowman– all of which can be avoided by running out of range – and a stacking debuff Shrink Heart (removed by movement).  The good news is that you don’t need to be in a party to get credit – even horde and alliance can combine to take him down.  Once the Greench is defeated the evil gnomes guarding Metzen will run away, the reindeer is automatically freed and you will also be able to approach the cave and loot one of the sacks of stolen goodies.  Even if you die during the fight or arrive after it, you can still get credit by speaking to Metzen and looting one of the sacks before the Gre (more…)

The unusual sound of whip cracks echoing across the frosty air around Kharanos aroused my dwarf hunter’s curiosity.  As she ventured towards the road to Ironforge, rams ridden at breakneck speed by characters of different races and all levels flashed past.  In what now seems eons ago, I stumbled on my very first seasonal event – Brewfest.  Being introduced to the joys of riding and the riotous defence of the festival from the dastardly iron dwarves soon had me hooked on seasonal events.

Modelled on Oktoberfest, this festival revolves around the pleasures of ale, food and mayhem without the normal drawbacks of hangovers the next day.  Each year, towards the end of September and beginning of October, the rival dwarvish families of Thunderbrews and Barleybrews and the Gordok Ogres set up pavilions at the foot of the ramp up to Ironforge while the the Orges with the Troll T’chali’s Voodoo Brewery and the Orc Drohn’s Distillery set up outside Orgrimmar.  Festival foods and brews as well as souvenirs, borrowed mounts and job opportunities are all on offer.

This guide looks at the quests, dailies and achievements of Brewfest. (more…)

The summer fires are burning again as the people of Azeroth and Outlands celebrate the warm and life of the sun, the Twilight Cult plots the total destruction of Azeroth and the Ice Lord Ahune stirs in the Slave Pens intent on ending summer for ever in eternal winter.  The cataclysmic shattering of Azeroth and the continuing assault of the Twilight Cult, Deathwing and the Old Gods to bring about total cataclysmic destruction has changed the summer festival only slightly.

-          Ice Lord Ahune is now a level 87 elite available to 84+ (queued through either the dungeon finder or an Earthern Ring Elder) with an appropriate increase in the loot drops.  This year (2011) the companion pet Ice Chip is a possible drop in the Satchel of Chilled Goods.

-          The location of some of the fires has changed with some new ones added and others removed following the dramatic changes to the landscape and changes of factional dominance in different areas.  (See below for locations of the bonfires.)

-          There are a number of fires that are not necessary for the achievements but can still award experience, reputation, gold, and burning blossoms.  As in previous years there are both alliance and horde fires outside major factional settlements in Northrend.  In addition there are new fires outside factional cities in the new Azeroth as well as fires in Earthern Ring centres in the new 85+ areas of Mount Hyjal, Vash’jir and Deepholm and factional ones in Uldum and the Twilight Highlands.

-          With the exception of Orgrimmar and Darnassus, the fires of the major factional cities (needed for King of the Fire Festival) have not changed (see guide).  The Darnassus fire is now inside Darnassus in the courtyard east of the Warrior’s Terrace while the Orgrimmar Fire is now on the roof on the northern edge of the Valley of Wisdom next to the Western Earthshrine (with the 80+ portals).

See below for the position of both Alliance and Horde fires necessary for the achievements The Fires of Azeroth and Desecration of the Alliance/Horde. (more…)

Once again the cities and townships of Azeroth are festooned in pink bunting, flowers and love hearts, guards in Stormwind and Orgrimmar are swathed in clouds of sickly pink perfume, the goblins of Crown Chemical Co and their more sinister and nefarious masters are purveying lovely merchandise, Crown agents are spraying toxic perfumes like the plague and heroes are creating love charms and bracelets through somewhat dubious and aggressive means.

Love is in the Air seasonal events coincides with and is inspired from Valentine’s Day which has become the traditional time for expressions and tokens of love to be exchanged. The festival revolves around the completion of a quest line and the dailies that enable one to loot love charms and which reward love (more…)

My level 81 dwarf paladin circled the deep water filled crater, with its fractured masonry, shattered beams and flame charred earth for the fourth time.  The golden question mark was clear as day but the Lunar Harbinger, Lunar Celebrants and Vendor, and the Stormwind Elder were nowhere to be seen – either improbably clinging to the sides of the devastated area or standing on protruding stone work  in the middle.  To be honest, I hadn’t really expected them to be there with the total destruction of the Park precinct following the Sundering but this was where my in-game quest finder was leading me.  I soon caught up with them, standing serenely outside the gates of Stormwind amidst a flurry of fireworks and lunar beams as if nothing untoward had happened.

In 2011 there have not been many changes to the Lunar Festival apart from the some drastic changes to the lands and maps of Azeroth, a change of location of a handful of Elders (see below) and the introduction of flight in the old kingdoms.  Flying (for those 60+ with the Cataclysm expansion who have paid for the training) certainly makes visiting some 75 elders across the major cities, selected dungeons, towns and hamlets of Kalimdor, Eastern Kingdoms and Northrend much faster and easier, especially when essaying into hostile territory (flying high and then descending vertically makes visiting elders in most factional capitals and settlements almost safe and easy).

The Lunar Festival, clearly tied into the celebration of Chinese New Year both in content (fireworks, ancestral coins, red packets, festival foods and clothing) and timing.  It centres on journeys across the continents of Azeroth to pay respect to the Elders – past heroes of both factions.  Elders come from the ancient races indigenous to Azeroth including Night Elves, Dwarves (both of flesh and stone), Taurens and their ancestral cousins the Taunkai (though not Trolls, Gnomes or Goblins).  Unlike many traditional cultures, modern Western culture often puts much more emphasis on youth, new skills and knowledge, invention, progress and change than wisdom from the past.  Yet it does not hurt to be reminded what we owe to past generations and to wisdom that has been forgotten or perhaps unnecessarily dismissed.  To paraphrase an “elder”, the scientist and theologian Isaac Newton, “If we have seen further it is because we have stood on the shoulders of giants.”  I wonderr if you were to select 75 or more influential people in the history of Earth, who would they be and why?

Kharin’s guides Honoring our Elders and Lunar Firework Frenzy give information on the quests and achievements of this festival. This guide gives the location of the Elders of the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor and the Elders of the Horde and Alliance while Elders in Danger will give the locations for the Elders in Northrend and the Dungeons and Newly Remembered Elders of the Cataclsym gives the location of those in 80+ areas.  The locations have been presented on a map of each continent to help you work out your most efficient routes depending on your starting points, faction etc.

Be warned that since Cataclysm an 85 elite guard with ranged attack spawns once you get close to the elder in factional cities and towns (eg Brill, Sepulcher, Razor Hill etc).  This makes  Elders of the Easter Kingdoms and Elders of Kalimdor difficult to complete for toons 70 and less – though being able to fly (level 60 onwards) gives some advantage.  In these circumstances, speed is essential and can be enhanced by create a keybinding to  “interact on mouse over” (eg SHIFT- D) as well as creating and putting on the tool bar the following macro:

/tar elder
/script SetRaidTarget(”target”, 3)
/script SelectGossipAvailableQuest(1)
/script CompleteQuest()
/script GetQuestReward()

Once you are close enough to the elder to interact use the keybinding (eg SHIFT-D or whatever key you set up) to interact, click the macro, then click complete quest.  If you are not successful the first time, rezzing on top of the elder may help – just wait a few minutes so that the 85 elite guard has time to despawn.

Eastern Kingdoms

There are seventeen elders scattered across the Eastern Kingdoms.  While in some cases the areas and maps around them have been changed by the recent sundering, their locations remain virtually unchanged.  While difficlut due to the spawning of elite 85 guards at factional towns like Brill and Sepulcher, Elders of Eastern Kingdoms can be completed before flight becomes available at  level 60.

1. Elder Winterhoof (40, 73) is standing on the roof of the ruined goblin bank  –  enter the top room of the Booty Bay Inn, turn sharp left at the balcony and continue past the Horde flightpath.

2. Elder Starglade (53, 18) is standing just right of the second flight of stairs to the entrance of Zul Gurub, Northern Stranglethorn.  The elite trolls no longer patrol this area with the decommissioning of Zul Gurub.

3. Elder Bellowrage (54, 50) is standing in the crater in front of the Dark Portal in the south of the Blasted Lands.  (This area can be reached by all players 58+ through portals in the major factional cities.)

4. Elder Skychaser (57,47)is on the top of the Sentinel Tower, Sentinel Hill, Westfall.

5. Elder Stormbrow (40, 63) is standing by the pond at the back of the Smithy in Goldshire, Elwyn Forrest

6. Elder Rumblerock (70, 45) is on the south side of Dreadmaul Mountain (just below the main or top cave), Burning Steppes. The path to the top is on the west side of the Mountain.  (Note: some players have reported that Rumblerock was phased out to them until they completed all the quests from Flamecrest.)

7. Elder Dawnstrider (53, 24) is just below Flamecrest to the north of Thassarian Ruins in Burning Steppes.

8. Elder Ironband (21, 79) is outside Blackchar Cave just south of the Searing Gorge entrance into Black Mountain, in southwest corner of Searing Gorge.

9. Elder Goldwell (54, 50) is near the Inn in Kharanos, Dun Morogh.

10. Elder Silvervein (33, 47) is standing near the road near the graveyard and on the other side of the Flight Master in Thelsamar, Loch Modan.

11. Elder Highpeak (50, 48) is standing on a small hill just north of the Creeping Ruin in the central part of the Hinterlands.

12. Elder Moonstrike (51, 36) is standing on the walkway between the towers of Scholomance (she is not inside the instance), Western Plaguelands.   Either fly up to the walkway or enter the tower, turn right (not left into the instance) and then up the stairs to Elder.

13. Elder Windrun (36, 69) is inside Crown Guard Tower in the southeast of Eastern Plaguelands.

14. Elder Snowcrown (76, 55) is close the southern wall in Light’s Hope Chapel, Eastern Plaguelands.

15. Elder Meadowrun (64, 36) is some way in the Weeping Cave (65.3, 38.6) in northeast of Western Plaguelands.

16. Elder Graveborn (61, 53) is standing just inside the east gate and next to a plague wagon in the south of Brill, Tirisfal Glade.  There is an 85 elite deathguard  who spawns once you are detected  making it difficult for lower level alliance (ie < 60) to reach the elder though flight (60+) helps.

17. Elder Obsidian (45, 41) is standing in the middle of the cemetery in the Sepulcher, Silverpine Forest.

Kalimdor

There are twenty-one elders scattered across the Kalimdor.  While in most cases their locations remain unchanged, in most there are changes in the areas and maps around them and a couple elders have relocated to new settlements (notably the Elder of Auberdine and the Elder of Camp Taurajo).  For Alliance at least Elders of Kalimdor is virtually impossible to complete before getting flight.  While spawing of an elite 85 guard in The Crossroads and particularly the placement of Elder Runetotem next to Burok in Razor Hill can be overcome by speed in interacting with the elder, the extreme difficulty in getting into Mulgore without flight makes it  virtually impossible to achieve.

1. Elder Blade Leaf (57, 53) is standing in front of the herbalism/alchemy trainers’ hut in Dolanaar, Teldrassil.  You can either fly (it is now possible to fly directly from Darkshore despite some fatigue) or take a ship from Stormwind, ride through the red portal at Ruthven Village and then ride west from the Bank tree up the wide bridge/ramp through the Warrior’s Terrace, across the courtyard and out the gates.  Follow the road east to Dolanaar.

2.  Elder Starweave (50, 20) is standing close to the shore on the southern outskirts of Lor’Danel, northern Darkshore.  She is still called the Elder of Auberdine, which however was shattered with the recent Sundering.

3.  Elder Nightwind (38, 53) is standing  amongst ruins, just past where Winna’s Kitten (a green striped big cat), along a path to the north (right) of the road into Jadenaar in central Felwood.

4. Elder Riversong (36, 49) is standing in the Moon Shrine near the Flight Master on the northwestern edge of Astranaar, Ashenvale.

5.  Elder Brightspear (53, 57) is in front of one of the ruined buildings on the side of east side of the frozen Lake Kel’Teril, Winterspring.

6.  Elder Stonespire (60, 50) is standing on small hillock between the bank building and the armor and weapon shop in Evertook, Winterspring.

7.  Elder Skygleam (65, 79) is at the ruined Ravencrest monument, between the feet of the gigantic statue  – at the end of the upland peninsular in southern Ashvara.  If you need to run/ride there are two land bridges (just past the Southern Rocketway Terminus) that connect this area with the rest of Azshara.

8.  Elder Runetotem (54, 44) is standing within the walls close to the southern entrance, next to the flight master of Razor Hill, Durotar.  Not only will a 85 elite guard spawn but the elder is standing behind the Flight Master Burok and in the middle of the Wyverns who will attack any alliance character on sight.  However, if you rez right on top of the Elder and interact fast enough by using the macro detailed above, it is actually possible.

9.  Elder Moonwarden (49, 59) is standing behind the flightmaster within the walled area at the Horde village of the Crossroads, Northern Barrens.

10.  Elder Windtotem (68, 70) stands on a small hill just north of the bank and flightmaster and south of the engineer trainer in Ratchet, Northern Barrens.

11.  Elder Highmountain (41, 47) is standing on the southern outskirts of Vendetta Point which overlooks the impenetrable Great Gate built across the entrance into Mulgore from the Southern Barrens.  While he is still called the Elder of Camp Taurajo, he no longer stands within this now ruined settlement.

12.  Elder Bloodhoof (48, 53) is standing next to Ahab Wheathoof and just south of the bridge across Stone Bull Lake in the northern outskirts of Camp Bloodhoof, Mulgore.  Since Cataclysm, a impassable gate has been placed across the entrance into Mulgore making it impossible to run/ride there.  To reach Mulgore you need either fly (60+), take the Zeppelin from Orgrimmar to Thunderbluff or, possibly, get a warlock summons into the area.

13.  Elder at Skyseer (46, 51) of Freewind Post in central area of a Ten Thousand Needles.  It is now surrounded by water as well as being taken over by the Grimtotems following Cataclysm.   If you don’t have flight this post can still be acessed by a maze of walkways from Razorfen Downs or a ramp and 2 rope bridges on the southern side of Freewind post which can be reached by swimming.

14.  Elder Morningdew (77, 75) of Mirage Raceway is on the southern loading barge of the Fizzle and Pozzik’s Speed Barge, close to the site of the old raceway, Ten Thousand Needles.  There is both a ramp up on the southern side as well as a submerged hatchway at the back to up onto the barges (if you swim rather than fly there).

15.  Elder Dreamseer (51, 28) is standing close to the arena cage in centre of Gadgetzhan, Tanaris.

16.  Elder Ragetotem (36, 80) is outside the Ruins of Uldum, in the Valley of the Watchers, Tanaris.

17.  Elder Thunderhorn (50, 76) is standing on a small hill just north of the biggest hive entrance in the middle of the Slithering Scar, just south of Marshal’s Last Stand in southern Un’goro.

18.  Elder Bladesing (53, 36) is standing in the moonwell at Cenarion Hold, Silithus.

19.  Elder Primestone (30, 13) in among the elementals in Crystal Vale in the northwest of Silithus.

20. Elder Grimtotem (77, 38) is in the Lariss Pavilion (back entrance to Dire Maul) in eastern Feralas.

21. Elder Mistwalker (62, 32) is in the Maul (arena) in the Broken Commons, Dire Maul, Feralas.

Elders of the Horde

I Undercity – Elder Darkcore (66,38) is in the throne room in the upper city (the ruins of Lordaeron) – it’s the domed building past the open courtyards though it is possible to fly into the room and stay mounted.

II Orgrimmar – Elder Darkhorn (52, 60) is on the roof area next to the Flightmasters.   He can be reached by flying over his position and then descending.  Otherwise, you can run/walk through the front gate, keep going straight until you reach the entrance to the Drag.  There is a lift which will take you to the roof and, once reaching the roof, the Elder is close by the Flightmaster.

III Thunderbluff – Elder Wheathoof (72, 23) is in the Elder Rise, the edge of the mesa.  He is easy to reach by flying.  Otherwise take the north lift, turn left at the first building and go up the stairs, take the bridge across to the Elder Rise.  Wheathoof is on the left past the Lunar festival celebrants.  Of course mages, priests and paladins can jump off the rise once they have paid their respects.

Elders of the Alliance

i Darnassus – Elder Bladeswift (39, 32) is standing at the base of a tree in the Cenarion Enclave.  It is now actually possible to fly (through the fatigue) from Darkshore up the trunk of the tree into Teldrassil and Darnassus.  Otherwise, it would be necessary to take a ship from Stormwind, or walk/swim (may die a couple of times though it is possible for some classes to heal through fatigue) to Rutheven Village.  Then ride through the red portal into Darnassus, cross the bridge and ride to the left past the Bank tree, across the bridge to the Cenarion Enclave area.

ii Stormwind – Elder Hammershout (34, 50) is no longer in the destroyed Park precint.  He is just outside and to the east of the gates of Stormwind where the Pilgrim Bounty’s tables were set up.

iii Ironforge – Elder Bronzebeard (29, 17) is in the pool outside the Hall of Mysteries in the Mystic Ward which is on the left of the main entrance and the Commons.  It is possible to fly through the gates and continue flying all the way to the Elder.

Have fun and don’t forget to make meaningful connections with the “elders” (both past and lving) in you life.

Kharin

Other posts you may be interested in:

Lunar Festival

Newly Remembered Elders of the Cataclysm

Honoring Our Elders

Lunar Firework Frenzy

Elders in Danger

Other related posts:

Dangerous Love and Love is in the Air - Guides on Love is in the Air Festival - coming up in a few weeks!

Come One! Come All! Be Amazed at the Wonders of the Darkmoon Faire – the Darkmoon Faire starts the first Sunday of every month.

Kharin’s  Seasonsonl Guides

Explorer revisted

With the release of the third WOW expansion pack Cataclysm, Azeroth faces once again the wrath and malicious machinations of the Old Gods first through the Elemental Invasion precipitated by their Twilight Hammer dupes and servants and then again through the destructive power of the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing (Neltharion) and the scheming of the Naga (transformed Highborne elves) and the ubiquitous Twilight Hammer.  The battle to save Azeroth from fate similar to Draenor now confronts its heroes – in fire scarred regions of Mount Hyjal (where Ragnaros rises anew), in the underwater world of Vashj’ir (where Naga conspire to destroy the Tidehunter Neptulon), in the deep elemental realm of Deepholm beneath the Maelstrom (where Deathwing’s rapid exit from his former hiding place has shattered the earth’s pillar) , the sandy wastes of ancient Uldum, on the high peaks of the Twilight Plateau and the battlefields of Tol Barad.

Global catastrophe and cataclysm is not a new thing in the lore and history of Azeroth.  Since its beginning Azeroth has been subject to a number of potential world destroying calamities. According to the lore, the newly formed Azeroth was initially shaped by the powerful Eternals or Titans who brought symmetry, order and structure to the world.  They build great cities and machines and constructed earthen, stone and mechanical servants to bring about their purposes.  Eventually, the “makers” or “creators” moved on to fashion other worlds, leaving Azeroth in charge of the Titanic Watchers and Keepers (like Thorim, Sif, Loken, Freya etc) and the Dragon Aspects (Neltharion, Malygos, Alexstrasza, Nozdormu, Ysera).  After the creators left, Azeroth was invaded by the powerful chaotic “Old Gods” (though older strands of the lore suggest they were present when the Titans first arrived in Azeroth).  These malevolent beings tore Azeroth apart, creating chaos and co-opting the indigenous elemental Lords of fire, wind, earth, and water to further their destructive will. Due to the influence of the Old Gods or “Whisperers”, “the curse of flesh” began to change the creations of the Titans.  The earthen and stone beings “devolved” into the dwarves and troggs while the mechanical became gnomes.  (The origin of the other indigenous Azerothian races is more mysterious though humans probably “devolved” from the vrkyl and night elves and trolls may be related).  The powerful and malicious Old Gods were subdued with the return of the Titans.  The creators realized that the only way to eradicate this “curse” and the maleficent Old Gods was to destroy all that they had made so they allowed the new races to remain and imprisoned the Old Gods beneath the surface of Azeroth where their power was curtailed but their influence continued to corrupt the unwary.  Meanwhile the Titans left Azeroth once again to continue their mission of shaping and ordering worlds and defeating the chaotic demonic powers of the Twisting Nether.

In more recent times, Azeroth has once again been subject to massive invasions and catastrophe.  In the War of the Ancients over ten thousand years before the present time, the almost overwhelming invasion of the fallen Titan Sageras’ innumerable demonic forces (the Burning Legion) swept into Kalimdor through the portal within the Eternity Well created by the deluded Highborne elves. When the Eternity Well imploded as Sageras himself tried to enter, most of the single ancient continent of Kalimdor sunk beneath the waves in the catastrophic Great Sundering leaving behind the swirling Maelstrom and the present day continents and islands surrounding it.  The threat of the Burning Legion seemed averted until, some nine thousand years later, mad Medivh (under Sageras’ control) opened of the Dark Portal to allow the savage, demon-corrupted Orcs to overrun and threaten the kingdoms of humans, dwarves, gnomes and elves until eventually repulsed in the First and Second Wars.  Kil’Jaeden, now the leader of the Burning Legion, once again attempted to subdue Azeroth through the seemingly unstoppable undead Scourge plague controlled by the Lich King and through demonic forces lead by Archimonde.  While Archmonde and the Burning Legion was defeated, the Lich King remained as a threat and unleashed the Zombie plague on the peoples of Azeroth before finally being defeated by an uneasy coalition between Horde, Alliance and the Knights of the Ebon Blade. As a result of the coming of the Burning Legion, the creation of the Dark Portal and of the Lich King, the fates of Azeroth and the shattered remnant planet of Draenor (Outlands) have become intrinsically linked

World shattering and life destroying catastrophes are not new phenomena in the fantasy genre (for example think of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and the shattering of Arda in the Silmarillion, David Edding’s Belgariad series, Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant series, Raymond E Feist’s Riftwar Saga, Ann MaCaffery’s Dragons of Pern series or Emily Rhodda’s Deltora series to name a few).  Such epic narratives, more often than not, draw on the myths, legends and stories of catastrophe and titanic conflict in our own world’s traditions.  This borrowing is clearly evident in Azerothian lore – with names, functions and events drawn from ancient Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Hindu traditions among others.

Many cultures’ origin narratives start with the gods bringing order and symmetry out of the initial chaos (e.g. Egyptian, Chinese, Greek, Roman, Norse) followed by stories of a “fall” from a Golden Age of beauty, harmony and prosperity which is lost due to the overweening human pride and/or breaking of a divine prohibition or boundary with subsequent world destroying cataclysms. The ancient Greeks told of an overwhelming flood as well as the sinking of the land of Atlantis beneath the waves.  Greek, Hindus and Mayans retold stories of periodic catastrophes in which the world was destroyed and made anew.  In fact, stories of a cataclysmic flood from which just a handful of people survived are found among virtually all peoples and cultures of the earth.  The Hebrew tradition also narrated the creation of an ordered, perfect world, forever altered by angelic and human rebellion, a cataclysmic flood and foretells a fiery end to the present cosmos.  It differs from virtually all other traditions in positing an eternal, infinite, creator, who instead of imposing order on pre-existent chaotic forces, creates the ordered cosmos de novo by the power of his Word alone.  Thus, the Hebrews (and their Jewish and Christian inheritors) insist that God is the powerful spiritual reality outside of and unconfined by the material universe of time, space, matter and energy.  Unlike the Hindus, they saw this ultimate spiritual reality as personal with a keen, caring and enduring interest in humanity.  They also saw the physical universe (the heavens and the earth) as real and indeed good though a secondary, dependent and transient existence marred by the willful disorder of angelic and human agents. In other words, God created a good world for humans to care for and enjoy even though it has since been marred and life on earth is now difficult, dangerous and relatively short.  However, the journey doesn’t end there – and what we do here in this world determines what happens to us on a much greater undying adventure.

It was this Jewish-Christian tradition that has predominantly shaped Western civilization and it has been the prevalent world view in the West until recent times.  In the eighteenth century however, these ideas and beliefs were challenged and new narratives developed to explain the origins and nature of the world.   At the heart of this challenge was the increasing insistence that God should be excluded from explanations about the world (naturalism) and assertion that “the present is the key to the past” (the principle of uniformitarianism).  After the dust had settled between uniformitarian and catastrophic geologists, it became de rigueur that the earth’s crust had been formed slowly over long periods of time and all claims of catastrophic processes was ruled out of the court (of science).  The picture was of a stable, slowly changing, extremely ancient earth in which “catastrophes” occurred only in a small and local way (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms, the slow encroaching glaciers of the ice-age).  In recent decades, this comforting picture is under increasing threat as evidence long disregarded or dismissed, has become too convincing to ignore any longer.  Now ideas that were considered laughable a few decades ago  -  Continental Drift and plate tectonics; frequent and massive meteor strikes that have lead to mass extinctions; super-volcanoes; massive floods which can transform and scar a immense area (e.g. the Channelled Scablands) literally in hours; and rapid climate change (e.g. Global Warming) – are accepted by the majority of scientists.  Moreover, the potential for global catastrophe of human making (climate change, thermonuclear winter etc) is being increasingly accepted.  It seems that the earth does in fact have a more violent, catastrophic past with more rapid changes than previously admitted.

Of course, none of this equates to the mythic neo-pagan and fictional world of Azeroth where Titanic figures stride across the landscape, portals to other places and worlds are regularly made and “demonic”, elementals and ghostly forces are substantial enough to destroy with swords, guns and poisons as well as more arcane attacks.

It begs the question – what is the true history of our world and how does it impact on how we live our lives.  How did our world come into existence?  What is its nature and purpose and what will be its end?  Where do we humans fit in?  What are we here for? Is this world, this physical reality the product of eons of random occurrences and is all there is as claimed by secular materialists; or is it unreal, merely an illusion and distraction from an impersonal spiritual reality (as many Eastern sages have claimed)? Or just maybe it is the real creation of a loving, all-powerful, all-wise, infinite and eternal God who has not abandoned it to its own devices as he goes about more urgent business (as the deists thought), but who remains involved in this world and its people to extent of being incarnated among them and who continues to work towards it ultimate liberation? For in the end, the kind of world we live in and its ultimate fate makes a decisive difference to who we are, how we should live our lives and which way we should take through life’s journey.

Kharin

Winter Veil is probably the Azerothian festival I enjoy the most.  Running over 18 days, Winter Veil is less time pressured than many of the other seasonal events, has some fun quests and interesting challenges, some cool companion pets and the distinct feel of celebration about it.  After all, there is something nostalgic about checking the gifts under the tree, waiting impatiently until Christmas day and then opening the gaily wrapped packages to see what they contain.  As usual Winter Veil is packed with goodies including companion pets (Red and Green Little Helpers, Snowman kit, Jingle Bell), festive goodies, quests and achievements (see below about quests and achievements).

Winter Veil clearly falls around the time and alludes to the major Western festival of Christmas (mistletoe, holly, gifts under the festively decorated fir trees, the garb and roles of Father Winter and his helpers, traditional Christmas foods, reindeer, the Greench etc).  The date of Christmas is close to (though not exactly on) the date of the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (and the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere) and it was common in pre-Christian Europe and in East Asia to celebrate a festival in the very depths of winter in the hope that summer, light, warmth and growth would return to the world.  In the quest line The Reason for the Season both Dwarven and Tauren Legends are cited to indicate that Winter Veil was a time to celebrate the land’s blanketing with snow by Great-Father Winter and the renewal of the land.   The traditionalists lament that the Goblins have commercialised the season with “a bumbling fool in a red suit,” the giving of gifts and festival foods.  This is the closest that Winter Veil gets to alluding to the other major reason that Christmas has been celebrated in the West over the last 2000 years – the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in the small hamlet of Bethlehem in Israel.  Jesus was thought by many to be the long awaited Messiah (Christ) and he made radical claims about himself and announced a radical message about God’s love and forgiveness that got him offside with the religious authorities of the day.  Despite his subsequent death at Roman hands, his followers claimed that he had risen from the dead, continuing to spread his movement and message and “turning the world upside down.”   It is perhaps surprising that such an influential person, who is honoured, at least in name, by half the world’s population and respected by icons such as Mohammad, Mahatma Ghandi, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa, is so easily sidelined into obscurity.  While Christians might claim that Jesus is the Reason for the Season, any allusions to the existence and influence of this world figure in the world of Azeroth are at best obscure, satirical and perhaps unwelcome – reflecting a major trend in popular, secular and neo-spiritual Western culture.

This guide will look at the quests, achievements and the changes from 2009.

(more…)

Just when we thought it was safe to go about our normal everyday game play – raids, random dungeons, battlegrounds, exploration of a transformed world, questing, dailies, crafting, chasing achievements – Blizzard has released a new catastrophic event upon us all.  A few days ago a small blue post announced,“One of Azeroth’s oldest adversaries will soon tear through the Elemental Plane to reforge the world in flame, but this foe won’t be conducting his reign of terror from the confines of a castle or lair. Deathwing is a destructive force the likes of which adventurers have yet to see in World of Warcraft, and his appetite for devastation can only be satisfied by the shattering of the world. Following his explosive escape from Deepholm, Deathwing will cast a deadly shadow over the people of Azeroth as he wreaks indiscriminate havoc across the land.”  Over the last few days, sightings and deaths at the fiery breath of Deathwing have indeed been reported.

It seems that murder, chaos and mayhem will be unleashed when we least expect it.  With catastrophic suddenness the maddened, corrupted dragon aspect, Deathwing the Destroyer will continue his destructive revenge – sweeping in with ferocious suddenness and reducing all before him – landscape, buildings, mobs, critters, NPCs and players alike to so much dust and ashes.  The only warning of impending doom will be a blackened sky with a fiery red glow.  Areas will be devastated – though fortunately not irreversibly.  (After all, in the world of Azeroth even the worst death and destruction is rarely permanent – mobs respawn, resources nodes reappear, bosses can be defeated countless times and terrors faced and defeated ages ago can return to terrorise again, problems solved reappear, and our toons die countless times with little to show for such harrowing experiences than the time it takes for a graveyard run or maybe a dose of resurrection sickness and some gold to repair broken armor.)

Naturally, the World of Warcraft is no stranger to such world encompassing catastrophic events.  It is after all a world born out of the chaos of the “old gods”, a world brought to brink of global destruction by repeated drama and disaster.  Invasions by the demonic burning legions and their servants; the arrival of the orc armies through the dark portal; the almost complete shattering of the planet draenor (home to orcs and draeni); repeated attempts of the “old gods” and a couple of corrupted or maddened dragon aspects to bring about chaos, sedition, destruction; and waves of the devastating undead plague have all threatened to overwhelm the inhabitants of Azeroth and to destroy their world beyond reckoning.

The lore of such cataclysmic events draws from myth and legend of our own world.  Many ancient societies (e.g. Greek, Hindu, Chinese, Mayan) claimed that our world was formed from chaos and has been subjected to periodic world-remaking disasters.  While ancient Hebrew sources declared (in contrast to many of their Middle Eastern and Mediterranean neighbors) that a good, powerful, eternal God created time and space (the cosmos as we know it) de novo, they agreed with their neighbors that this world has experienced global disasters as the result of human and angelic rebellion.  These ancient sources all foresee future global catastrophes.

Be that as it may, what the Deathwing event will entail – apart from wholesale regional devastation transcending even the Zombie Plagues – and how long it will be with us is at this point in time difficult to know.  The only clear fact is an achievement (under the Cataclysm explorer category) Stood in the Fire which requires being killed by Deathwings fiery breath (though there are reports of this being glitched).  Being caught up in what is essentially a random and overwhelming event will normally result in death of even the most seasoned hero within seconds.  There is no opportunity to rally a credible defense unlike the Elemental Invasion or the Headless Horseman’s attacks on factional towns in Hallow’s End.  There will be nowhere to hide from the attacks- fleeing to the wilderness areas (as my hunter did during the Zombie Plague) will not save you for Deathwing can reach the most remote crannies of the world.

Certainly, the experience will be out of the ordinary and it would seem from the forums that many players are extremely anxious to experience it.  The fainthearted, those with tight playing schedules or those who lack an overwhelming death wish may wish to head back to safety of Dalaran or even Shattrath until the attacks cease.  On the other hand, it’s is hard to know how long Deathwing will be allowed to roam free, spreading devastation in his wake.  And at the moment at least, his attacks are so random and sporadic that many if not most players are yet to become aware that they have begun and getting the achievement may pure luck. But be warned for a fiery death could descend at a moment’s notice.  Be prepared.

Kharin

Just before maintenance on Tuesday, I heard the rumours that something dramatic was about to happen.  The portals to the Elemental Lords had been opened “permanently” to allow the last access for a few short hours before everything closed down for extended maintenance.  Trade was abuzz with speculation that the shattering was upon us and that portals in Dalaran and Shattrath would be no more.  The extended maintenance, which was extended further, eventually drew to a close.  As World of Warcraft finally came back on online, I logged in with great impatience and anticipation – not to be disappointed.

The world of Azeroth had been remade in a fiery cataclysm.  The elemental invasion was over and Deathwing the Destroyer, leader of the Black Dragonflight had emerged from the elemental plane Deepholm (in which he has been sulking for years on end) and wrecked havoc across the cities and continents of Azeroth.  Coastal areas had been hit by huge tsunamis, lakes had been emptied and others formed, cites and town had been devastated and in some cases wiped out completely, volcanos had erupted and dividing chasms had been rent deep into the crust to change the face of the world forever.  Since the disaster, many cities and villages have been rebuilt and new ones established, political alliances and influence changed, some areas reclaimed and other lost, new settlements and new alliances established.

So what has changed?

• Stormwind Park totally destroyed, the entrance towers scarred, the Stormwind Keep precinct upgraded and a new cemetery and parkland area with fishing pond and farm added north of the Cathedral and Dwarven districts;
• Virtually every district in Orgrimmar scarred by inundation, zeppelin towers moved to central roof area accessed by lifts, goblin slums added in Valley of Spirits;
• Both Stormwind and Orgrimmar now have 2 banks and 2 auction houses;
• New fishing and cooking dailies (available to all levels) in Stormwind and Orgrimmar;
• Jewellery trainers in more capitals (Stormwind and Orgrimmar for example);
• Flight trainers and flying mount vendors now available in Old Azeroth (e.g. Stormwind for example);
• Portals to faction cities in Dalaran and Shattrath removed and replaced with class trainers.    Dalaran does still have a portal to Caverns of Time, while Shattrath retains the portal to the Isle of Quel’Danas and there is a portal to Stormwind and Ogrimmar next to the Dark Portal;
• Now able to use flying mounts in Dalaran;
• Major geographical and political changes to many zones (i.e. splitting of the Barrens into north and south, remodelling of Ashvara including a entrance into the region from a new rear Orgrimmar gate, dividing of Stranglethorn Vale into north and south, new coastal areas in the Blasted Lands, a great chasm between Searing Gorge and Burning Seppes in the south and Dun Morgh and Loch Modan in the north, Southshore fallen to the undead) and at least minor changes to most regions;
• New areas on the map (e.g. Twilight Highlands, Gilneas, Grim Batol) though these are still inaccessible;
• Direct flight routes connecting Darnassus and mainland Kalimdor with the two Draeni islands and a direct ship route between Teldrassil and Stormwind;
• Direct portal between Darnassus and Exodar and vice versa;
• Many new flight points and some new settlements and towns (e.g. Haven of Green Warden in Wetlands, Fuselight in the Badlands, Bilgewater Harbour in Ashvara);
• A pass between Burning Steppes and Swamp of Sorrows;
• New starting zones for Trolls (the Echo Isles) and Gnomes (outer areas of Gnomeregan and New Tinkertown);
• Further class and talent changes with greater access to different classes for different races (e.g. trolls can now be druids);
• Artisan (epic) and Master riding training available (cost 4250g each) – though not flight within old Azeroth as yet;
• New achievements (e.g. All the Squirrels who Cared for Me) and major revamping of old ones (e.g. the addition of Cataclysm quests and areas to Loremaster and Explorer respectively);
• New Hero’s Call Board (Alliance) and Warchief’s Command Board (Horde) in factional captials that give lead in quests to new level appropriate questing areas;
• A variety of new level one critters, new mobs and quests at all levels;
• Gathering resources now give experience;
• New singing sunflower pet from Brazzie just south of the Dalaran crater.

Changes yet to be implemented and which will no doubt require expansion pack:

• Ability to fly in the old world;
• New raids, dungeons and PvP;
• Availability  of new superior and epic Cataclysm gear;
• New races of Worgen and Goblin and their respective starting areas;
• New secondary profession – Archaeology
• Ability to level from 80 to 85;
• Active portals to new 80+ areas.

There is no doubt that major changes have happened.  As with many stories of catastrophic upheaveal, the old world has been remade, and out of the old a brave new world has emerged.

For most, it will be fascinating to explore the new face of Azeroth to see what has changed and what has stayed the same, and to enjoy new scenery.  It is also appealing to have some new starting zones and new cooking and fishing dailies, a whole raft of new quests (though mainly for lower level characters so far) and new race-class combinations.

However, the almost complete removal of portals from Dalaran and Shattrath, particularly a couple of weeks before flying in Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor and much of the new content can be activated, is less than exciting for higher level toons.  It seems that Dalaran is destined to be the dead end ghost town that Shattrath has long become, peripheral capitals such as the Exodar, Darnassus and Silvermoon are likely to be even less inhabited and the new hubs Stormwind and Orgrimmar liable to become lagfests (Lagwind and Lagrimmar).  Indeed, just getting around (despite the new flight paths and streamlined travel in some places) will be that more time consuming for all but mages especially in the time gap between the removal of the portals and the introduction of flight in Old Azeroth.  Portals to Stormwind and Orgrimmar in Dalaran would at least ease some of the pain.  Time will tell how the developer’s strategies –  to make the old world cities more lived in (though Stormwind, Ironforge and Orgrimmar were always well inhabited in my experience), to encourage players to enjoy the new scenery and to reduce lag – will work out.  And I for one will miss the synergy of having a sanctuary town, where horde and alliance somewhat uneasily rub shoulders, as a major hub.

Nevertheless, there is a lot to enjoy and plenty of new content to unpack in the short time left to launch date.

Kharin

The background and official story of the Shattering