Things my Druid Wears, part 4 (outfits 31 – 40)

A collection of Transmogrification Kits actually worn in-game by my Tauren Druids. Outfits are listed from most recent to least recent. Items that are no longer obtainable are marked with an asterisk (*).

40) Barkskin

Eternal Blossom Shoulderwraps, Robes of Eighty Lights, Thatch Eave Vines, Ranger Gloves
The bark-and-fur look of this armor nicely complements the appearance of the Claws of Ursoc, and the colors perfectly complement the Fangs of Ashamane.
I am quite amused by how the Hood of Stilled Winds that is part of this set looks like a bear mask —

— but I like seeing my characters’ faces too much to actually ever wear it.
Although I did play Kerisa as herself to collect the Guardian Artifact, she’s never been really comfortable with being a bear. So for this Guardian spec kit, I’ve given her the alter-ego appearance of my secondary Druid, Kaiuna, who was created to play with the melee Druid specs.

39) Golden Feathers

Chieftain’s Headdress, Passive Resistor Spaulders (H), Vest of Forceful Fury, Belt of Hidden Keys, Woundseal Leggings, Hydrolance Gloves (H), Kafa Leather Boots, Drape of Icy Intent, Giorgio’s Caduceus of Pure Moods (LFR)
These shoulders with molting golden feathers and this staff with molting golden feathers just needed to be used together.
Using a muted blue cued from the vest and darker brown tones in the bottom half of the kit keeps the focus on those beautiful golden feathers in the top half.

38) Overgrowth Tender

Mantle of Gnarled Overgrowth, Shaladrassil Tunic, Overgrowth Cutter Belt, Giant-Friend Kilt, Master Brewer’s Gloves, Kihrawr’s Scratching Post
I was looking for a chestpiece to wear with this matching kilt & shoulders from Northrend that wasn’t the set chestpiece; I was looking for something to wear with this chestpiece that wasn’t the rest of its set. I noticed the perfect congruence of the colors and voila! I love it when an outfit comes together this neatly.

37) Genesis Wave

Tracker’s Headband, Cenarion Spaulders, Genesis Vest & Boots, Archer’s Belt, Forest Leather Pants, Wasphide Gauntlets, Pink Mageweave Shirt, Staff of the Verdant Circle
I came up with this concept while working on some pink outfit ideas for Navimie and thought that it would be quite appropriate for Noblegarden. Because the chestpiece and boots were already Druid-specfic, I decided to go ahead and use these Druid-specific shoulders, too.

36) Navispam

Guise of the Tidal Lurker, Hateful Gladiator’s Wyrmhide Spaulders, Shroud of Nature’s Harmony, Orgrimmar Belt, Giant-Friend Kilt, Thunderlord Gloves, Stolen Idra’kess Drape, Green Workman’s Shirt, Thunder Eagle Staff
The core concept of this kit — hat, shoulders, chestpiece, kilt — is borrowed from an outfit that Navimie wore for a very long time which I always admired.

35) Deep Earth, Dark Heart

Savage Gladiator’s Wyrmhide Spaulders, Deep Earth Vestment (H), Master Brewer’s Gloves, Rapture
There isn’t much true pink in leather — lots of reds and purples, and some of them are pink-ish, but true pink really only shows up as an accent color. The decorations on this robe hover on the boundary of pink and red.
I didn’t think I’d use the “hide belt” Transmogrification feature introduced in Patch 7.1.5 very often, but this is now the second outfit in a row for Kerisa for which I’ve used it.

34) Songbird

Songbird Blouse, Luminary Kilt, Rope-Grip Gloves, Pillar of Ferocity
The simple, shirt-like appearance of this chestpiece wanted a very simple outfit to go with it. I was glad to be able to find in my collection some bare-hand gloves that also fit under the belled sleeves. If I were making this kit with a race that wears shoes, I’d probably use the Sandals of the Insurgent.

33) Springrain Armor



The Springrain set is the gear that a Druid is shown wearing on the new character selection screen. It is obtained in-game from the Warlords Garrison Salvage Yard.
I am fascinated by this strange Tauren statue that I found in the Karazhan Catacombs while doing the Balance Artifact quest. Where did this come from? From the style of dress, might this be the Earthmother as envisioned by the Yaungol?

32) Frostwolf of Wor’Gol

Battlegear of the Frostwolves with Wolf Hunter’s Guise, Frostwolf tabard and Talon Guard Glaive
Relative to the Alterac Valley Frostwolves, are the Draenor Frostwolves the “old” Frostwolves or the “new” Frostwolves?
I like Yrel a lot, but Draka is my favorite.

31) Frostwolf Envoy

Ghostwalker Pads & Gloves, any sleeveless chestpiece, Moonrage Girdle, T’chali’s Kilt, Frostwolf Battle Tabard, Talon Guard Glaive
This kit mimics the appearance of the Frostwolf Envoy NPCs who used to appear in capital cities when the bonus battleground of the week was Alterac Valley.

Read Full Post »

Things my Druid Wears, part 3 (outfits 21 – 30)

A collection of Transmogrification Kits actually worn in-game by my Tauren Druids. Outfits are listed from most recent to least recent. Items that are no longer obtainable are marked with an asterisk (*).

30) Bad Juju

Big Voodoo Mask, Ravenwing Pauldrons, Flamestrider Robes, Felshroud Belt, Ironpelt Leggings, Botanist’s Gloves of Growth, Orange Martial Shirt, Kyparitic Staff
This kit is Hallow’s End-ish mostly by virtue of its orange-black-and-green color scheme. A partially similar outfit could be made in cloth with the Silksand Wraps and Bad Mojo Mask.

29) Talon Queen

Conqueror’s Nightsong Cover, Heroes’ Dreamwalker Mantle, Cranefeather Jerkin & Britches, Supple Waistguard (3-670), Runic Leather Gauntlets, Moonstrider Boots, Arakkoa Outcasts Tabard, Etched-Blade Warstaff (3-660)
The decorations on the staff reminded me of arakkoa sigils, so the appropriate tabard went on next. The rest of the kit developed from there.
Cover of the Keepers is a lookalike of the hat. I generally try to shy away from class-specific items in these types of sets, but the Druid T7 shoulders were just too perfect to pass up. Monks (or Rogues, using different weapons) might want to try the Dark Leather Shoulders. The Cranefeather items are the Agility spec conversion of the Timeless Isle leather tokens. The boots have bright blue toes on races that wear shoes, so characters of shoe-wearing races might want to find different boots.
Savage Blood required: 60

28) Fanghunter

Headhunter’s Spaulders Mitts & Slippers, Armor of the Fang, Belt of the Fang, Leggings of the Fang, Golden Iron Destroyer
A simple combination of two classic purple and yellow leather sets, dressed up with an elegant mace.

27) Jungle Chronicler

Shoulders of the Roiling Inferno (LFR), Sunglow Vest, Dragonmaw Emergency Strap (LFR), Breeches of Natural Aggression, Shardtooth Gloves, Zangarra Scepter, Sunsworn Transcription
I love it when items from different raid tiers synergize to make a combo even better than either kit alone. Case in point, the green Sunwell leather set is beautiful as-is, but I love how it looks with these items from Siege of Orgrimmar.
I’m definitely among those who were deeply disappointed that we didn’t get to go to Farahlon in Warlords. Was the original Farahlon biome really a Gorgrond-like jungle, or is that a byproduct of the Ethereal eco-dome technology? Would this pond in the middle of Eco-Dome Midrealm have been a botani grove? What about the fabled Plains of Farahlon — would they have looked like the Draenor version of Shadowmoon Valley, only sunnier? sigh…

26) Sinister Squashling

Keeper’s Mantle, Gypsy Tunic & Trousers, Deviate Scale Belt, Forest Leather Gloves & Boots, Sower’s Cloak*, Staff of the Green Circle
Kaiuna has so much green in her wardrobe that I’ve barely begun to explore all the possible permutations.
Once upon a time, the Hallowed Helm was introduced as a cloth item so that everyone could wear it. Nowadays, I think that it really ought to be upgraded to a Cosmetic item so that everyone can Mog it. Using a Weighted Jack-o’-Lantern gives the same effect, albeit only temporarily.

25) Mystical Mistletoe

Supple Shoulderguards Waistguard & Gloves (all 1-640), Jinxed Hoodoo Skin & Kilt, Garden Sickle/Miniature Winter Veil Tree, Purehearted Cricket Cage (LFR)
Anyone who grew up reading Asterix the Gaul knows that the proper weapon of a Druid is a sickle — for collecting mistletoe, of course!
While I was collecting enough Draenic Seeds to buy the Garden Sickle, I used the Miniature Winter Veil Tree with this kit. Using the sickle seems like a small change, but it makes a big difference — at least to me — in how “druidy” the overall effect of the kit appears.
The combination of the recolored Druid T1 antlers with the Jinxed Hoodoo items has always been popular, for obvious reasons. I feel like I’ve seen the combination of the stage 1 Warlords crafted leather items with the Jinxed Hoodoo items somewhere before, but I can’t remember where or when.
Savage Blood required: 0

24) Har’koa’s Kitten

Shrug of Disappointment, Vest of Restraint, Aquarius Belt*/Clefthoof Belt, Rugged Leather Pants, Ghostwalker gloves & boots, Goblin Smasher
I originally designed this kit a little over two years ago for the first round of JD Kenada’s “Transmogrification Survivor” contest, for which the prompt was “Disciples of Har’koa”.
It took awhile for me to figure out the best way to get my level 54 Feral Druid up to Zul’Drak, a zone 20 levels too high for her health & safety, to take the screenshots. Many many many thanks to Plaid for flying me out there on her Touring Rocket, and to Matty for her offer to help, too!

23) Hoodoo Cricket

Self-Reflecting Mask, Runetotem’s Mantle of Conquest, Jinxed Hoodoo Skin & Kilt, Hurricane Belt, Cenarion Gloves, Miniature Winter Veil Tree, Purehearted Cricket Cage
One of my goals during Mists of Pandaria was to heal in LFR with a character of every healing class. I achieved that goal, with a healer of each class who completed at least Terrace of Endless Spring from T14, all of Throne of Thunder, and Siege of Orgrimmar through the Sha of Pride. The very charming Purehearted Cricket Cage drops from the second boss in the Vale of Eternal Sorrows opening wing of the Siege of Orgrimmar.
This outfit is based on Zazzy’s grand-prize-winning final round entry for JD Kenada’s Amazing Transmog Survivor competition. Kerisa already had the shoulders, chestpiece, and kilt of Zazzy’s kit — though as a Druid, she of course could not use the same belt.

22) Roiling Gardens

Shoulders of the Roiling Inferno, Blessed Elunite Coverings, Dragonmaw Emergency Strap, Giant-Friend Kilt, Marshseeker Gloves, Staff of the Verdant Circle
The inspiration for this outfit began with the “Garden of Eden” kits I designed to use the T16-LFR Druid shoulders & belt. Instead of farming for any of the chestpiece & leggings combinations I suggested in that post, however, I elected to use a kilt that I already had and a JP-purchase tunic that I’d been looking for an excuse to buy anyway.

21) Tainted Forest

Mushan Hide Helm, Mantle of the Eternal Sentinel, Robes of Treacherous Ground (LFR), Firescar Sash, Gilt-Edged Leather Gauntlets, Druidic Channeler’s Mace, Telestra’s Journal
A “Dark Druid” outfit that would probably look better on a Worgen than on any of the other Druidic races.
The T12 Obsidian Arborweave set was not at all to my taste, but I thought the belt looked kind of cool, so I hung onto it for possible use in some other sort of “Dark Druid” kit. I’m glad I did, because it works perfectly with the T15-LFR robe.
The T15 shoulders, however, are entirely too creepy for me. If that nest on the right shoulder housed a mouse or a bat or a little bitty owl or a crow or even a snake, I’d be okay with it, but a spider?

*shudder*

Read Full Post »

Things my Druid Wears, part 2 (outfits 11 – 20)

A collection of Transmogrification Kits actually worn in-game by my Tauren Druids. Outfits are listed from most recent to least recent. Items that are no longer obtainable are marked with an asterisk (*).

20) Sun, Moon, and Stars II

Valorous Nightsong Cover, Hide of Chromaggus, Starry Robes of the Crescent, Belt of Never-Ending Agony, Stormrider’s Gloves (T11 Normal), Starshard Edge, Shomi’s Fan
An iteration of a previous outfit, now that I’ve finally got the helm and shoulders I wanted to use, but didn’t yet have, when I made the first version.

19) Rain Poppy

Valorous Nightsong Cover, Contender’s Leather shoulders & belt, Robes of Summer Flame, Marshseeker Gloves, Rain Poppy Staff
I borrowed this lovely kit from Erinys’ Worgen Druid, Mentzelia, who I hope will indeed succeed in getting to level 90 and wearing this outfit herself before Warlords launches.

18) Crossroads Guard

Sentinel set with Chieftain’s shoulders
This outfit is worn by Horde Guards throughout the Northern Barrens. Swapping out the ochre Chieftain’s shoulders for the red Cutthroat shoulders changes this outfit to match the Orgrimmar guards.
Although the Grinning Axe is the closest match to the NPC weapon, no leather-wearing classes can use 2H axes. Rogues might want to dual-wield simple 1H axes, Druids might want to use the Icier Barbed Spear, and Monks could do either.

17) Evergreen

Preened Tribal War Feathers/Cenarion Helm, Darkbrand shoulders, Ymirjar Physician’s Robe, Feral Cord/Sentinel Girdle, Bark-Gloves of Ancient Wisdom, Conifer Cone Staff/Miniature Winter Veil Tree + Blossom of the Earthen Ring
I love the pinecone-like look of these Cataclysm-era leather shoulders — they are just perfect for a Druid!

16) Shado-Pan Wildshaper

Replica Shado-Pan Helmet, Thunderheart Shoulder Pads/Darkbrand shoulders, Robes of Summer Flame, Vicious Leather Belt, Gilt-Edged Leather Gauntlets, Tian Monastic Staff
I decided pretty much immediately that I wanted to use this robe for my Druid’s Shado-Pan kit. Figuring out all the rest of the pieces, though, took quite a bit of iteration.
I don’t remember if I was offered the +Agi staff as a reward option from that Tian Monastery quest or if I had to switch my loot spec to see it. Whatever happened, I thought that the +Agi staff would have better Transmogrification potential with the rest of my Druid’s wardrobe than any of the +Int options — and I’d surely get a better weapon from some other quest later. So I took it, and now I am quite glad that I did.

15) Starshard

Crown of the Forest Lord, Hide of Chromaggus, Starsight Tunic, Thatch Eave Vines, Gylphed leggings, Stormrider’s Gloves, Moonstrider Boots, Starshard Edge, Shomi’s Fan, August Celestials Tabard
For a character I logged onto at least semi-regularly, Kerisa wore this outfit for an exceptionally long time. I created it when she was fortunate enough to win the dagger during Cymre’s Val’anyr completion runs — and I didn’t want to let her change her Transmogrification kit until I’d made the fashion post about it.

14) Bluebird of Happiness

Raven-Heart Headdress, Hide of Chromaggus, Polar Vest & Boots, Clefthoof belt, Stormrider’s leggings & gloves (N), Cloak of Cheerful Flowers
Kerisa longed for the Druid T11 shoulders from the first moment she saw them in early Cataclysm. I was too slow in getting her leveled and geared to raid, however, and she only saw the T11 shoulder token drop once before Firelands debuted. At that time, she passed on the token in deference to the Resto Druid leader of my guild’s alt run, saying that the raid leader deserved it more. Later, I selfishly wished I’d rolled on it normally. During Cataclysm, the BoE lookalike shoulders occasionally showed up on the AH, but I never felt like I could afford them. After Mists began, it was several months before I saw the BoE shoulders on the AH again — at which point I snapped them up just as fast as I could. Now, Kerisa is jumping for joy to finally, finally have these gorgeous shoulders.

13) Bluffwatcher

Feral set with Ranger Shoulders and Scaled Leather Bracers
The outfit of the Thunder Bluff guards is one of the easiest to replicate. The NPC belt is unavailable, and the Wolf Rider belt is a bit closer style match than the Feral belt. No leather-wearing classes can use 2H axes; Rogues might want to dual-wield simple 1H axes, Druids might want to use the Icier Barbed Spear, and Monks could do either.

12) Woodland Blossom

Preened Ironfeather Shoulders, Dervish chestpiece & leggings, Headhunter’s belt gloves & boots, Willow Cape, Bright Yellow Shirt
The pale pink stripe down the center of the shirtfront is the perfect finishing touch for this spring outfit.

11) Mistspray

Pauldrons of Malorne (T4), Jinxed Hoodoo Skin, Imposing Belt, Mistspray Kilt*, Cenarion Gloves (T1), Misthide Drape, Rapture
The Spring Gatherer says, “I’m not certain what form of magic was used in the creation of the eggs, and the druids aren’t keen on explaining it to me.”
This unique two-toned look is created using a kilt that vanished in the Shattering. If you don’t have one, use the Jinxed Hoodoo Kilt that matches the tunic.
I chose these gloves because they match Kerisa’s tan fur color so well that she almost looks like she’s not wearing gloves at all. Another character might want different gloves.

Read Full Post »

pink Mog ideas for Navimie

Navimie asked me for some help with a pink leather outfit.

The problem is, there isn’t much genuine pink available in leather. There’s lots of red and purple, and some of the reds are pink-ish, but true pinks only appear as an accent color.

The prettiest shades of pink show up in the Genesis Vest Trousers & Boots and Wasphide Gauntlets from AQ40, shown here with the Wild Growth Spaulders, Archer’s Belt, and Staff of the Verdant Circle. The pinks in this armor are really truly pink, but eurgh!, the pattern!

The pants are the worst; the rest of the items might be tolerably worn with the Earthsoul Britches, Haramad’s Leggings of the Third Coin, or the Forest Leather Pants.

The Deep Earth Raiment from Heroic Dragonsoul has, um, mushrooms? I think? that are more pink than red, at least to my eye. This very simple outfit uses the Heroic Deep Earth Raiment with the Savage Gladiator’s Wyrmhide Spaulders, Master Brewer’s Gloves, a hidden belt, and Rapture.

The shoulder armor could be hidden, too, so that it doesn’t obscure the really rather pretty pattern around the shoulders of the robe. Here the pink looks more like berries than like mushrooms.

The Vest of the Glowing Crescent from Ulduar 10 is more red than pink, but it’s a pink enough red that perhaps we can work with it. Here I’ve combined it with the Otherworldly Mantle from Emerald Nightmare — I think this is the LFR version, though I’m not completely certain — Emblazoned Leggings, Runesworn Girdle, Bloodfire Talons, Bard’s Boots, Dark Silk Shirt, and Crystalheart Pulse Staff.

I hope this helps you out with whatever you’re wanting a pink outfit for, Navi! ❤

Read Full Post »

Artifact acquisition accomplished! (and analysis)

Shaman, Restoration 31 August 2016

Demon Hunter, Havoc 9 September 2016

Shaman, Elemental 23 September 2016

Shaman, Enhancement 23 September 2016

Mage, Fire 8 October 2016

Mage, Arcane 15 October 2016

Mage, Frost 22 October 2016

Priest, Discipline 28 October 2016

Rogue, Outlaw 29 October 2016

Warlock, Destruction 12 November 2016

Monk, Brewmaster 23 November 2016

Death Knight, Frost 26 November 2016

Hunter, Survival 26 November 2016

Warrior, Arms 30 November 2016

Paladin, Protection 1 December 2016

Druid, Balance 2 December 2016

Hunter, Marksmanship 10 December 2016

It didn’t seem quite right to claim Thas’dorah as a Tauren; that bow rightfully belongs to the children of the Sunwell. So I used the Orb of the Sin’dorei before I picked it up. I guess my camera angle was bad right at the moment when I clicked on Thas’dorah, because this is the best screenshot I got of the triumphal moment.

Hunter, Beast Mastery 10 December 2016

Demon Hunter, Vengeance 10 December 2016

Monk, Windwalker 23 December 2016

Monk, Mistweaver 23 December 2016

Death Knight, Blood 29 December 2016

Death Knight, Unholy 29 December 2016

Rogue, Subtlety 30 December 2016

Rogue, Assassination 30 December 2016

Warlock, Affliction 6 January 2017

Warlock, Demonology 6 January 2017

Druid, Guardian 11 January 2017

Druid, Feral 11 January 2017

Druid, Restoration 11 January 2017

I didn’t get a very good screenshot of picking up G’Hanir because the camera swung around to be under the surface of the nearby pond… but I was feeling to lazy to do the whole scenario over again just to get a better screenshot of the triumphal moment.

Priest, Holy 14 January 2017

Priest, Shadow 14 January 2017

Warrior, Fury 15 January 2017

Warrior, Protection 15 January 2017

Paladin, Holy 16 January 2017

Paladin, Retribution 16 January 2017

~*~*~

The Artifact questlines that packed the most emotional punch (for me) were the Ashbringer, the Doomhammer, and Fu Zan.

Three Artifacts are found on Niskara: Holy Priest, Marksmanship Hunter, and Blood Death Knight. I wasn’t able to determine the “canonical” order in which these events occur.

Three Artifacts are found at Tyr’s Fall in Tirisfal Glades. To the best of my understanding the canonical order of events is as follows: Arms Warrior, Shadow Priest, Holy Paladin.

Three Artifacts are found in the Tomb of Old Kings on Shield’s Rest island in Stormheim. To the best of my understanding the canonical order of events is as follows: Protection Warrior, Protection Paladin, Beastmaster Hunter.

Three Artifacts are found in the Karazhan Catacombs. Because all three questlines end with killing the same boss, I’m not sure which order they would canonically go in, but if I had to hazard a guess, I’d say Balance Druid, Unholy Death Knight, Affliction Warlock.

Two Artifacts are recovered from Felsoul Hold in Suramar. I’m not sure which event happened first, the Havoc Demon Hunter or the Demonology Warlock.

Two Artifacts are recovered from Icecrown Citadel. I’m not sure which event happened first, the Frost Death Knight or the Fire Mage.

Two Artifacts are retrieved from the Nexus. I’m not sure which event happened first, the Arcane Mage or the Discipline Priest.

Two Artifacts are retrieved from the Broken Shore. To the best of my understanding the canonical order of events is as follows: Retribution Paladin, Vengeance Demon Hunter.

Two Artifacts are found in the Helmouth Shallows of Stormheim. These two events, Survival Hunter and Fury Warrior, seem to be quite independent of each other and might have occurred in either order.

The locations for the Frost Mage (a Legion place that wasn’t Niskara), Destruction Warlock, and Beast Master Hunter were unique, but the other questlines for those classes went to shared locations.

The Druid Artifact quests go to one shared location (for Balance) and to three places that no other class goes: Grizzly Hills, the Shattered Locus, and Nordrassil.

Only Shamans go to Vashj’ir, the Temple of the White Tiger, or Deepholm.

Only Monks go to the Temple of the Jade Serpent, the Vortex Pinnacle, or the Terrace of Endless Spring.

Only Rogues go to the Temple of a Thousand Lights, Legion Citadel (it’s not on Niskara), and Stormwind.

Read Full Post »

Claws of Ursoc; The Fangs of Ashamane; G’Hanir

Baby still isn’t here yet — babies sometimes come late, and due dates are approximate and sometimes miscalculated — so it was the Druid’s turn to collect Light’s Heart, level up to 102 (by doing the first third of Val’sharah, in her case), and get the rest of her Artifact weapons.

I bumbled my way through the Guardian questline as a Bear. I took Resto Affinity in my Bear talents, but the added heals that gave me also popped me out of Bear form, and I didn’t have my caster form action bar set up very effectively. Still, I only died once, in the penultimate fight of the scenario.

I was in Bear form when I picked up the Artifact, so instead of seeing the heroic pose, I just saw my Bear form change from the regular version to the Artifact version.

I’ve done some Kitty-ing before, so I was a bit more comfortable doing the Feral questline as a Cat than I had been doing the Guardian questline as a Bear. I also took Resto Affinity in my Feral talents, but when I encountered the same issue of some of the added heals popping me out of Cat form, I was better able to re-organize my action bars on the fly. Kitty is fun! I have Feral Affinity in my Boomkin spec (the better to sneak around, my dears!), though, so I think I’ll wait until I can get the adorable owlkitty Hidden appearance for the Fangs of Ashamane before I do much more actual Feral Kitty-ing in Legion.

I was kind of surprised at where the final stage of this Artifact questline took me — it was not at all what I would have expected — but a nice taste/forshadowing of future perils! Again, I chose to pick up the Artifact while I was in Cat form, so I just saw the Cat form change from the regular version to the Artifact version.

Finally, I did the Restoration questline, taking Balance Affinity in my Resto talents. I failed the first stage of the questline the first time I tried it, but then I figured out that I really just needed to continually keep a HOT running on myself, apply all my HOTs before shifting into Boomkin to beat stuff up, and then shift back out of Boomkin and hit Wild Growth as soon as I was done beating stuff up to keep the Nightmare at bay.
In the final scenario, I didn’t do very well at keeping my party of fellow Druids — Guardian Hamuul, Feral Zen’tabra, and Balance Celestine, plus the former keeper of G’Hanir — completely topped off all the time, but I didn’t let anyone die, either.

I didn’t get a very good screenshot of picking up G’Hanir because the camera angle swung around crazily to be under the surface of the water — but I was feeling too lazy to do the whole scenario over again just to get a better screenshot of the triumphal moment.

I wondered if what had happened at Nordrassil during the G’Hanir questline — a gut punch almost as sickening as the destruction of the Vale of Eternal Blossoms — would be visible to everyone else in the world, the way the Peak of Serenity is changed for characters at or above level 101 due to the events of the Monk Order Hall establishment. So I took Kamalia to Nordrassil; it looked pretty much the same as always. Then I took Kerisa back to Nordrassil via the portal in Orgrimmar. It looked like it did in Cataclysm. Next, I tried going into the Dreamway and coming into Nordrassil through the Dreamway portal. For a moment, I was standing on the shore of the lake… and then I got pushed back out into the Dreamway. That gateway seems to be closed… for now. Perhaps a later chapter of the Druid Order Hall Campaign will reopen it and restore the place? In the meantime, nobody but the Resto Druids knows what happened there.

Read Full Post »

The Warbreaker; Truthguard; the Scythe of Elune

Kamalia hasn’t gotten much play this week. Being so close to the first Legion alt-leveling milestone of getting each Class its first Artifact weapon and to level 101 to unlock Champion missions at the Order Hall, I wanted to get that done.

~*~*~

I chose Arms first with my Warrior because Mr Rossi says it’s the best for leveling and World Questing.

Skyhold is aesthetically lovely. As much as my Warrior has been intrigued by the Vrykul ever since Northrend, though, she finds Skyhold rather lonely with only Valarjar and Val’kyr there. And despite previous encounters with Titan structures and constructs, it wasn’t until she unexpectedly found herself in Skyhold, staring at Odyn, that the works of the Titans caused her to wonder about the reality of the Earthmother. Perhaps if she’d been to Ulduar with Khadgar and Brann to see Magni, she might not be feeling so unsettled. But only my Paladin, Shaman, Druid, and Mage did that. I might have to come up with an in-character motivation for my Warrior to go talk to Archivist Elysiana to do that questline (at least the Ulduar part of it)…

~*~*~

It was a thoroughly delightful surprise to discover that the Tauren Seers were involved in the first stages of the quest chain for the Protection Paladin Artifact. Some of the later quest chain text speaks of “a great warrior” who went to one of the locations before the paladins do. I’m guessing it was probably for the Protection Warrior Artifact (because I went somewhere quite different for the Arms one) but the warrior didn’t go to exactly the same specific location, just the same general area, so my headcanon can be that my Paladin did in fact go there first.

This sword and shield are so pretty that I don’t feel sad about not being able to use the Alliance movie tie-in weapons with my Tauren Paladin anymore 😛

As for the Paladin Order Hall, now that I’ve actually been to the Sanctum of Light, I totally get what I’ve read about Priests being utterly smitten with jealousy when they get to visit the Paladin place as part of their Order Hall Campaign. The Mage place is still my favorite Order Hall, but the Paladin place is a very close second!

~*~*~

I’ve read that the Balance Druid and Affliction Warlock Artifact questlines are substantially similar in much the same way that the Disc Priest and Arcane Mage Artifact questlines are. After playing through the Balance Druid questline, I’d guess that the first few quests are different for Balance Druids and Affliction Warlocks, but that after you meet up with Revil Kost in Duskwood, they are essentially identical. I saw a Gnome Warlock running around in some of the same places that I was investigating.

I can’t think of The Scythe of Elune without wanting to call it “The Scythe of Elooooone“, ala Oxhorn (one of the very early movies, though I don’t remember exactly which one anymore).

In one of the other treasure chambers of the Karazhan Crypts, I found this strange statue.

I have never, ever seen this image before. What is it? Where did it come from? Something about the style of it makes me wonder if perhaps it might have been designed to be part of Yaungol lore, in a questline that got cut? Or does it portend some as-yet-unknown Tauren faction?

~*~*~

With the first milestone completed, my next objectives are to level the characters who want multiple Artifacts to 102 so I can get the rest of the Artifacts I want to collect and to bring Light’s Heart to each Order Hall. In my headcanon, though, Light’s Heart will actually be at the Fel Hammer because my Demon Hunter is the primary character with whom I intend to pursue the continuation of that quest chain at level 110.

Read Full Post »