May is here!

It’s nice this month that Children’s Week is early enough in the month that doing Holiday activities will actually be a significant contributor to collecting my Trading Post currency for the month, rather than being things I do after I’ve finished it off just for the fun of it.

I’ve already picked up the Wanderer’s Snowy Trappings and the pretty High Priestess’s Ceremonial Drape. The Lost Crown of the Arcane was an immediate must-have, too, seeing as how it is a recolor of one of my all-time favorite Mail Tier helms, the Crown of Flame from Firelands. I have the Magenta Cloud Serpent frozen from last month. I could get it this month if I choose not to get the Trial of Valor cloth set recolor or the Stormheim Vrykul leather set recolor. Knowing that stuff I’ve passed on will eventually come around again makes me feel less fretful about that decision.

As far as Children’s Week goes — I think I’ve done both the Classic and Cataclysm versions for both factions (because I seem to remember noticing the differences the first time I did the new versions); I’ve done the Burning Crusade quests for both factions; I’ve done both of the Wrath of the Lich King neutral options; but I was feeling burned out on Holidays during Battle for Azeroth and haven’t done the newest Children’s Week quests yet. So to do Children’s Week activities for the Trading Post, I guess I’ll start with the Zandalari and Kul Tiran orphans; to get the most out of that, I should go do them with characters who need XP, maybe my Druid and Human Mage. Then I think Kaelinda ought to go take Salandria to see her future self, and I haven’t quite decided which orphan to choose to round out the four for the Trading Post activity. My six characters who are doing the Wrath Dalaran fishing dailies in hopes of getting a Battered Jungle Hat have all chosen orphans to accompany them, to make the Trading Post activity for turning in dailies while accompanied by an orphan very easy to complete.

Here are my plans for Patch 10.1 tomorrow: BTH has an obligation on Tuesday nights, so while he’s out, I’ll log onto his account with his alt who is in my me-myself-and-I guild and invite my Void Elf Mage and my Dracthyr (who is Alliance to keep my Characters page more neatly organized :P) into the guild. I managed to finish up the lore questline in the Forbidden Reach (which I always want to call the Forgotten Reach, a name which is equally appropriate) in the past couple of weeks. I’ll probably do the first quests to go into Zaralek Cavern and fly around picking up all the new Dragonriding glyphs — and then I’ll set it aside for awhile. I’m still working on Dragonscale Expedition and Valdrakken Accord Renown and haven’t unlocked all of their 10.0 story content, and I think I’d like to complete that before I do the Zaralek Cavern lore questline.

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Did Kurog Grimtotem use THE DOOMSTONE to free Raszageth from Froststone Vault?

My biggest burning unanswered lore question of Dragonflight: Was the Doomstone what Kurog Grimtotem used to rile up the elementals and free Raszageth from her prison, and if not, why not?
The Doomstone first appears as the MacGuffin of the Twilight Cultist plotline in Cataclysm Thousand Needles. During Legion, it is taken to the Maelstrom for safekeeping by the Farseers during the Broken Shore chapter of the Shaman Order Hall questline. During that questline, enemy agents use it to incite various elementals to dangerous levels of activity.
Having the Doomstone be involved with the rise of the Primalists and perhaps even the key to opening Froststone Vault to release Raszageth seems like a great story fit for that dangling thread.

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in which we do not want to have to be the ones to decide between the black dragon brothers

BTH and I finally finished up The Waking Shores last night, dinging 64 in the process.
Every time we have to fight elementals, BTH teases me about how as a Shaman, Kamalia should be upset about having to put down these elementals instead of trying to save them by solving the problem that is making them be all riled up.
When we went through the quests involving the return of Sabellian, BTH groaned aloud, “Don’t make ME choose who gets to be the new Aspect!”
Kamalia doesn’t want to choose, either. Although she knows Wrathion better, Sabellian and his followers do have some good points — and it was Sabellian’s actions that allowed the Ruby Oathstone to be restored.
I am starting to get itchy to bring Kaelyla out to the Dragon Isles. At the same time, I don’t want to rush her ahead of Kamalia, because I want to save the delights of first discovery of all the things in the Dragon Isles for Kamalia and playing with BTH.
When they eventually get there, Kaelinda will choose Wrathion, because of greater familarity, and Kaelyla will choose Sabellian, because she feels a wisp of kinship between his experiences in Outland and her experiences with the Void.
Meanwhile, Kaurinka is still considering going back to Uldum & the Vale of Eternal Blossoms after she finishes the Night Fae Campaign to work on getting the second upgraded appearance of the Shroud of Resolve and the Black Dragonscale Backpack (but do I really want to grind that? really and truly?).

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Things my Shaman Wears, part 13 (outfits 121 – 130)

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

126) Heritage of the Plains




Heritage of the Shu’halo with Ancestral Chieftain’s Totem/Ancestral Bloodhoof Totem, Thunder Bluff Doublet, Replica Kilt of The Five Thunders, Ceremonial Ohn’ir Dagger + Sternhorn’s Shield/Ancestor’s Might
Upon meeting with Mayla in Valdrakken, Kamalia donned her Shu’halo best and went to help Baine in the Ohn’ahran Plains.
It had been no small thing for her to overcome her own initial wariness of the Dragon Isles Centaur, for her to fight down her instincts to either attack or flee and to try to approach them as she would any other newly-encountered people. She had found Scout Tomul to be trustworthy, and she had gradually come to respect and appreciate the Maruuk Centaur. She was oddly relieved when Baine at last came to the start of similar conclusions.

125) Renowned Expeditioner’s Mail


Renowned Expeditioner’s Mail Armor with Emerald Winglord’s Coif, Renowned Expeditioner’s Armored Shawl, Expedition Dissection Knife, and Hoursteel Barrier
Kamalia reached Renown 14 with the Dragonscale Expedition, thus unlocking this handsome coloration of the Dragon Isles quest armor set.

124) Fabulously Flashy


Onyx Glare-Reducers, Wanderer’s Midnight Cloak, Fabulously Flashy Finery, Rockhide Links, Bloodmail Legguards*/Black Tuxedo Pants, Dragon Dinner Fork, Light’s Shield, Eternal Black Diamond Ring, Stylish Black Parasol
I bought this shirt from the March 2023 Trading Post, so I wanted to do something with it for that month’s Trading Post theme of “Looking Good”.
Kamalia’s best 1H weapon right now is the Ceremonial Ohn’ir Dagger. Hence, the Dragon Dinner Fork with Light’s Shield as a sort of Dragon Dinner Platter?

123) A Romantic Ohn’ahran Picnic





Crown of Boundless Courage, White Traditional Hanbok, Rosy Corsage, Mindsear Shanker, Aegis of the Vindicator
This was too charming of an idea to not do.

122) Ohn’ahran Falconer


Shikaar Scout’s Visor, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Shoulderguards, Cloak of the Everliving Keeper, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Chainmail, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Grips, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Belt, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Greaves, Ohn’ahran Plainswalker Greaves, Ceremonial Ohn’ir Dagger, Stout Shield
Kamalia completed the WQ version of this Dragonflight armor set. None of the colors of the Shikaar hat quite match, so I eventually just picked one. Looking at this fellow’s hat, though, I guess I should have picked one of the other colors. Oh well.

121) Primal Cyclonic

Cyclonic Battlegear with Stormbender Maul and Squallbreaker Shield
Mail set from the Primal Storms Dragonflight pre-launch event.

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What I’m trying with my Patch 10.0 Talents and UI, for now

After a couple of hours (cumulative) of fiddling around with my UI and Talents, here’s what I’ve settled on for now. This might last for all of Dragonflight, or it might last only until next week. Click on the scaled images to see the full-size images.

Elemental Shaman

Balance Druid

Whenever Kaurinka manages to move on from Ardenweald, she’ll rearrange her talents to grab the Talent version of Convoke the Spirits. As long as she’s still there, however, the original Covenant version will be superior.

Fire Mage

Frost Mage

Arcane Mage

I’m happy to see Radiant Spark in the Mage Talent trees, but I would rather have had Mirrors of Torment in there, too, instead of Shifting Power.

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out with the last ten years’ Talent rows, in with the new-old Talent trees

As much for my own reference when choosing new Talents in the new trees as anything else, here are the talent layouts I’ve been running with my Mains in Shadowlands — but really more or less since… when was it? Cataclysm? Mists of Pandaria?… the time when the three-talent rows were first introduced.

Elemental Shaman

Restoration Shaman

Balance Druid

Fire Mage

Frost Mage

Arcane Mage

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Things my Shaman Wears, part 12 (outfits 111 – 120)

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

120) Eonar’s Breath

Totem Matriarch’s Headdress, Firebird’s Mantle (LFR), Emerald Wings of Awakening, Firebird’s Tunic (LFR), Jade’s Lovely Shirt, Binder’s Chain of Unending Summer (LFR), Talon Branch, Nettlehusk Barrier
The wood-textured sculpts of the shoulders and the panels on the skirt of the robe, along with the bright green feathers, made this Mists tier set an easy choice to go with the green wings. In fact, after I’d created this kit with Kam, I saw a Dark Iron Dwarf Shaman in Oribos who was also wearing these wings and this robe together. I chose wooden weapons to continue the Green Dragonflight thematic motifs.

119) Unleashed Time

Helm of Unleashed Energy, Eternal Traveler’s Spaulders, Bronze Wings of Awakening, Earthen Embrace, Eternal Traveler’s Gauntlets, Eternal Traveler’s Waistwrap, Ordon Legend-Keeper Legguards, Titan-Forged Sabatons of Triumph, Vagaries of Time (N), Timepiece of the Bronze Flight (N)
With the bronze wings, of course Kamalia had to use her favorite Bronze Dragonflight-themed weapons from Dragon Soul.

118) Pulsing Tides

Drakefire Headguard, Wayfaring Shoulderguards (stage 3), Ruby Wings of Awakening, Inferno Forged Hauberk, Wrathfin Gloves, Tracker’s Belt, Oronok’s Old Leggings, Wrathfin Greaves, Rising Tide, Pulsing Spellshield
This handsome gray and red recolor of the Blue Dragonscale set seemed just right to go with the Ruby Wings of Awakening.
I carried this shield for a long time back in the day, so to use it in a kit again is unexpectedly comforting.

117) Guardian of Coldarra



Diadem of the Spell-Keeper, Relentless Gladiator’s Linked Spaulders, Azure Wings of Awakening, Blue Dragonscale Breastplate, Outrunner’s Gloves, Shokell’s Grim Cinch, Blue Dragonscale Leggings, Outrunner’s Slippers, Warmongering Gladiator’s Gavel (H), Zom’s Crackling Bulwark
Blue Dragonscales and ice and magic and stuff.

116) Lavaquake

Vindictive Gladiator’s Ringmail Armor with Crown of Flame (N), Obsidian Wings of Awakening, Wild Gladiator’s Waistguard of Prowess, Doomhammer (PvP, first tint), and Drillborer Disk
Thinking about the sorts of places where the Black Dragonflight is found, this set immediately came to mind.
“Firelord” is of course the only appropriate title to wear with this ensemble.

115) Gormhusk

Gormhusk Armor with Dazzling Spectacles, Shadowlace Cloak, Steelscale Crushfish, and Extinct Turtle Shell
Mail World Quest set from Ardenweald. I’m not quite sure why I wanted to put the silly weapons with it, other than that they had good colors.
Other colorations of this set:

Forgehand’s (Bastion), Fleshscale (Maldraxxus), Darkwing Rebel’s (Revendreth), Shadowscale (Crafted)

114) Tideshaper II


Blue Tricorne Hat, Crosswind Shoulderguards, Runewarden’s Greatcloak, Circuit-Linked Chainmail, Fletcher’s Nimble Grips, Girdle of the Scroll-Sages, Kilt of Rolling Thunders, Sharas’dal (upgraded, first tint), Coldscale Shield
Kamalia wanted a new kit, and she wanted to wear this outfit, which is a slight modification of a kit that I originally created for my Dwarf Shaman (#15) about two years ago.

113) Anthem of the Elements

Anthemic set with Dazzling Spectacles, Turncoat’s Cape, Tihan (LFR), and Felbark’s Shin
Here’s Kamalia, level 60 and all decked out in Zereth Mortis BOEs from the AH. She’s my sixth, and perhaps last, level 60 for Shadowlands. Having used a Broker Mark of Distinction to set her Renown with the Night Fae to 40 immediately after activating Threads of Fate, she reached level 60 already at Renown 65.

112) Dreamthorn

Dreamthorn Armor with Dazzling Spectacles, Runewarden’s Greatcloak, Duskwarder Gavel, and Duskwarder Shield
One evening, I spontaneously decided to level Kamalia instead of playing with my Mages. I guess I was missing her. Soon, she’d gained four levels and a mishmash of gear from WQs in all four zones. She’d chosen Threads of Fate and the Night Fae at level 50, so I unified her look by Mogging everything to the Ardenweald leveling quest set. I was so glad when I discovered that choosing Threads of Fate automatically grants the appearances of all the skipped leveling storyline quest rewards!
Other colorations of this set:

Waylight (Bastion), Flesh Architect’s (Maldraxxus), Soul Hunter’s (Revendreth), Desolate Scale (Crafted)

111) Astral Insight




Dazzling Spectacles, Celestial Observer’s Constellations Starshroud & Buckle, Pure Sight Vestments & Slippers, Formidable Legguards & Gauntlets, Lifepath Hammer, Melody Defender’s Bulwark
This ensemble is mostly a mashup of the Celestial Observer’s and Pure Sight sets. I thought it might look neat with some silver pants — and these bluish-silver Classic pants look like they were made to go with this chestpiece!

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considering Covenant hopping

Like my four year-old who is so excited for Halloween, I “can’t wait” for Patch 9.1.5 because I’m so excited to be able to bring Kamalia to the Shadowlands without having to go through that introductory Maw experience one more time. As I’ve played with my Mages, Druid, Priest, and Warlock, I’ve found myself missing slinging Flame Shocks and Lava Bursts and Chain Lightnings and Earthquakes as an Elemental Shaman. I also just miss being Kamalia because she’s my oldest and “flagship” character.

With Kamalia in the Shadowlands, I’ll have three of the four armor classes there. That makes it tempting to also bring out my Paladin, Karelia. Then I’d want to bring my Tauren Priest, Kaohana, so that I’ll have all four armor classes as Tauren, and because the twins don’t like to be separated. But I know that that’s more alts than I can really manage, so I am telling myself quite firmly that I am only going to advance Kamalia.

I plan to matriculate Kamalia with the Night Fae and then slowly level her with my favorite no or minimal combat World Quests. After Kamalia has acquired all of the Night Fae stuff I’d like her to have, I’ll covenant swap her to the Kyrian to get their gorgeous set — at least the Campaign coloration; I may or may not also go for the Renown coloration — then swap back to the Night Fae.

In thinking about what kind of Covenant hopping I might want to do with my other characters, I began to think about which characters I might want to bring ahead to 10.0. Which characters will need to cycle through all the Covenants so that they’ll have access to all the things to Mog with in the future? Over the past few expansions (Shadowlands included), I’ve figured out that I can handle about four active characters at a time. The four characters I want to keep actively playing for as long as I keep playing WoW are Kamalia, Kerisa, Kaelinda, and Kaelyla. Kamalia only wants Night Fae and Kyrian stuff, and Kerisa only wants Night Fae stuff. It’s just the Mages who really want stuff from all four of the Covenants. So, after Kaelinda has reached 80 Renown and unlocked unlimited Covenant hopping, and after I’ve completed all of the 9.0 Covenant Campaigns with the designated characters, I’ll want Kaelinda and Kaelyla to each take turns with all of the Covenants. I’m imagining having them work together to collect the sets from the Korthia daily quests…

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in which Kamalia considers un-retiring

I was telling BTH about Shadowlands and how I was leveling a relatively new character (Kaelyla) to play in it. Talking to BTH about the characters I had been actively playing, I realized that while I enjoy my Boomkin and my Mages and my Destro-Lock, I missed my Elemental Shaman.

I recalled Kamalia from Thunder Bluff and sent her off to acquire her Shroud of Resolve.

I looked at the Covenant armor sets again and began to consider recalling Karaelia (Tauren Paladin) from the Sanctum of Light to get her Shroud of Resolve, too, because dangit if that Kyrian plate set doesn’t look pretty (though she’d wear it with alternate helm and shoulders).

Still, neither Kamalia nor Karaelia will be in the first group of characters to go to the Shadowlands — unless BTH decides to give Shadowlands a look and I bring Kam out to play with him.

Looking at the Kyrian sets again, I thought how Priestly the cloth set looks. I hadn’t yet used the level 120 Boost that came with purchasing Shadowlands (something I did shortly after Kaelyla dinged 120), partly because I couldn’t decide which existing character to give it to. I thought, I have a Blood Elf Mage and a Blood Elf Warlock, so why not have a Blood Elf Priest, too, to go Kyrian? Golden-eyed and golden-haired, of course…


So, um, yeah.
Four Eversong Elves for four Shadowlands Covenants.

Kaylynda will still go to the Shadowlands, but now she doesn’t have to choose Kyrian if she decides that she’d be a better fit with the Night Fae or the Venthyr…

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Kamalia’s Classic Crew

Will I ever do more with any of these characters than enter the world and maybe manage to get through the 1-5 zone and out to their racial capital city? Realistically speaking, probably not. Nevertheless, the collector in me still wanted to have a complete set of Classic Classes.

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