Personality issues

Pike did a post today that made me really think about my toons, personality-wise at least. See, I have several toons that I really want to play, and I've had them a long time, but I find that I can't focus on them for long. Every time I log on one of them, I wind up doing a quest or two, then just standing around doing nothing until I give up and log onto someone else. This bugs me enough that I've been picking my brain trying to figure out why, and I think I've figured it out somewhat. It's their personalities (or lack of it, in some cases).

Let's look at a few of them-

Zuuluu, my troll rogue, who was my second level 60 character back in the "old days", and my third 70. But now, I don't know if I'll ever get him to 80. He has his epic flying and I bought him the heirloom book, so with his profs (mining & enchanting) he could conceivably become just a farm toon.

But why can't I level him? I think it's because for the longest time, he had no personality. He was, frankly, boring. Compare him to a hunter or druid, and you can probably guess which I preferred. So, to try and make him more interesting, I tried thinking up a bit of personality and a backstory for him. Only problem is, it didn't help much. He does have a personality now, but it's a very mercenary one. He has very little honor or morals, and really only cares whether he's getting paid or not. He is very much a loner, and never quite trusts anyone else enough to hang around them for long. The biggest problem with this is that I would rather be with someone else while I play him. Rogues are squishy, and it would also help the tedium of "sneak up on something, stabbity-stab til dead, stealth and repeat" that playing him usually entails. I'm thinking of seeing if he can make friends with one of my sister's toons or something, just so he'll have a leveling buddy. And hey, maybe it will be good for him.

Drenka, my orc hunter. He is currently sitting at level 20 and just tamed Ressan the Needler, so he has a pretty bat to go with his scorpid and raptor. However, I have no inclination to play him at all. Part of it is me having so many hunters. If I'm going to level one, I'd rather be on Kaledain & Khaotic, or Caelàn, or even Toorambar. I've tried to think up a personality for him, but so far I'm coming up blank. So, he's on a back burner for now. I may even end up deleting him at some point. :(

Heylookimded, my undead warlock. He does have a personality, and it's actually kind of fun. He was always kind of off his rocker, and turning undead just unhinged him more. So when I do play him, it's pretty entertaining. I just get bored too quickly. If he does turn out to be a drag to play, I'm thinking maybe a faction/realm change may be in order. My Alli guild on Gilneas could always use another lock....

Taurron, my tauren warrior. I love him, I really do. I want to get him to 80 and start some tanky fun. But his problem is that he is on my second account, and the highest level toon there to boot. So he has no heirloom stuff to help him out, and has to wait til 77 to start flying. Heck, I haven't even bought his flying skill yet since he can't use it (tho with the recently-dropped price I'll probably be getting it soon). I do have an advantage in that Boogga can help out with all the group quests. I even tried a bit of duoing with Taurros, though that was a bit more difficult than I wanted to mess with (much easier with 2 ranged classes like hunters). He doesn't have much of a personality, he's kinda your typical tauren. I figured when I first created him that he would be Taurros' brother, so their personalities are pretty similar. He does revere the Earthmother but he's not what you would call religious in any way, he just tries to do the "right thing". So anyways, I think that he will get leveled eventually, it'll just take a lot longer than I'd like it to.

Anyways, those are my thoughts. If they seem a little disjointed or rambly, I blame my cold. If anyone has any tips/advice/opinions, feel free to leave a comment. Til next time, Happy Hunting!

Quae: To Outland

Quae hit level 58 at last! Got tired of running dungeons so she just did quests, with her personal bodyguard doing most of the work. >.>

Duoing is fun.

And Pitch is up to 70! I been busy, despite my cold.

I said before that I had a story ready to go for when she hit Outlands, so here it is. Enjoy!
____________________

The Temple of the Moon, located in the night elf capital Darnassus, was where Elune's priestesses- and now occasionally priests- were trained. Some elves considered it to be the most important- and beautiful- building there. Inside the priestesses held sway, guiding their people according to Elune's wishes. Acolytes of all ages and skill levels went here and there, carrying out the orders of their elders. Like good little sheep, Quae thought cynically, going where they are led and doing whatever they're told.

Gazing at the huge Temple now, she wondered how many of them saw it for what it really was- a prison, where you either conformed to popular belief or were cast out. Or sometimes... Quae dismissed that thought without completing it. She followed her escort up the ramp, the pair of Sentinels silent. Neither of them had said a word after the perfunctory "Come with us, please" when they found her, almost the moment she had stepped through the portal. Like they had been waiting for her. The thought gave her shivers.

Once inside she was brought before a handful of senior priestesses, ones she knew by face if not by name. The eldest motioned her to sit on a bench, then they all gathered around in front of her. "Junior Priestess Quae Stormbough," intoned the youngest of the group, placing the slightest emphasis on her rank. "You have been brought before this council because we received word that you have been consorting with a former member of the Scourge, an undead known as Barraccus." Quae blinked in surprise. Before she could do more than that, the priestess went on. "This behavior apparently has been going on for some time, and is unbecoming to a priestess of Elune as well as against our laws. You are here to receive judgment."

"Wait a moment," protested Quae. "That 'undead' is a night elf and a knight of the Ebon Blade. He hasn't been a member of the Scourge for almost a year, and has proven his allegiance to the Alliance many times over." "That is beside the point," interrupted another priestess. "It is against our principles, as you should well know. We won't stand for it." All of them stared at Quae hard.

This was bad, oh yes. Quae briefly wondered if one of these priestesses had seen her with Barraccus or if someone had ratted her out, then realized that it didn't matter. She swallowed hard as it hit her that they could have her quietly "disposed of" if they decided it was called for. Or... they could simply remake her, by invading her mind and removing or changing her memories. It had been done before, although not to anyone Quae had known personally. There was that junior priestess that assisted the librarian, though, who walked around every day with a vacant smile on her face; if you talked to her she seemed normal enough, but her responses were almost automatic, like a gnomish robot. She shivered inside again.

Some of her fear must have showed in her expression, because a few of the priestess' faces softened. Slightly. That actually made her worry more, rather than less. Finally the head priestess told her, "Look, girl, we've all been young before, and know how it feels. Perhaps he just came on to you, and you didn't know how to say no." She paused, giving Quae a chance to agree, to place all the blame on Barraccus, and maybe worm her way back into their good graces.

And maybe a pink elekk would fly up and tell her she was really the long-lost princess of Stormwind. Barraccus didn't deserve any of this, any more than she did. Her anger flared up, temporarily consuming her fear, and she stood. "I can't lie to you, priestesses," she stated, and a couple of them began smiling in triumph. Those smiles quickly turned to surprise, however, as she continued. "He did nothing of the sort. Truthfully, I wanted it at least as much as he did. You could probably say we seduced each other."

The other priestesses stood looking at her in shock. The eldest was the first to recover. Quae felt her bravado fade as a slow, not-at-all-pleasant smile spread across her face. "You just sealed it, girl," she hissed. "Did you think we were going to stand it much longer anyway? First you ran away when we refused, and rightly so, to teach you shadow magic. Then you returned and claimed that Elune herself said you were to be taught. I still don't know what witchery you did to make the High Priestess agree. Then you leave your poor parents to live with your filthy druid siblings, making everyone sick with worry for you. Now you think you can flaunt your... relationship... with a cursed undead, and we won't do anything about it? The High Priestess may have you under her wing, but she can't stop what she doesn't know about." With a satisfied smirk on her face, she snapped her fingers at the two Sentinels and motioned at Quae. "Take her to a penitentiary cell," she ordered. "We'll be back for her tonight. Make sure no one even knows she's there." With that, she and the other priestesses turned and walked away.

For a moment, Quae was frozen with fear. Then, as the guards came up and reached for her arms, she snapped back to herself and made to get away. One of the guards grabbed her, and Quae saw shadows start to flicker around the edges of her vision. The shadows nearby moved toward her and began slithering up her body and down her arms. The guard that had grabbed her let go in surprise and swore, "Elune-cursed priests!" Before Quae could do anything with her new-found freedom, the other guard stepped up with her sword drawn, and struck Quae across the temple with the hilt. The shadows fled as she fell down into darkness.

* * * * * *

Quae awoke in a dark, cramped cell. Raising her aching head carefully, she took in her surroundings. She was laying on a small cot, and there was a tiny desk and chair next to the bed. Across the room was the door, which was closed and, she was certain, locked and guarded. Everything else had been removed- the lamp and any books and writing materials were all gone. For a moment, fear and outrage battled for supremacy inside her, and she fought down the urge to go to the door and start screaming. Right now she wasn't sure if she would be screaming threats at those who held her prisoner, or begging to be allowed another chance. Finally her nerves settled down, and she began weighing her options. First, she supposed, she had better make certain the door was guarded.

Pitch had taken a great deal of pleasure in teaching her outdoor survival skills when they were both much younger. She put them to use now, as she crept silently to the door and listened. There was definitely a guard on the other side, but it sounded like only one. The other was probably either resting or posted further down the hall, where she couldn't hear. She sat back on the cot with a sigh, not even bothering to try the door handle.

Quae found herself thinking about the others, her friends and loved ones. Especially Barraccus. Would she ever see him again? Would she even recognize him if she did? Should she have said what she did, or should she have played along with them? She made herself stop right there; it was too late to change anything now. She honestly wasn't worried that they would kill her. She was pretty powerful in her own right, and they would want to keep her around; they would just make her more... malleable. She shuddered again.

Her thoughts wandered back to Barraccus. He was due to be home tonight, and would be wondering where she had gone. Her heart ached as she thought of how worried he'd be. She thought back over the last few months and asked herself, had it been worth it? She could see his face in her mind, as clear as if he was standing in front of her, and the look in his eyes each time he saw her, the way it felt when he held her... Yes, she thought. It had been worth it, a thousand times over.

She leaned back on the cot and lost herself in her memories, not caring when the tears started. She sat and remembered until at last the strain overcame her, and she dozed off and dreamed she was back at home.

* * * * * *

Quae sat bolt upright. She didn't know what had woken her, but she was suddenly afraid the priestesses had come back. Heart in her throat, she waited, staring at the door.

There was a soft scraping sound, as if something heavy was being dragged away from the door, then a faint clink she realized came from the keys. The door creaked open slowly, and her visitor stepped into view.

It was Alanon.

Quae just stared disbelievingly for several seconds, then with a choked-off cry she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around her brother. He held her for a moment, shushing her softly as she sobbed in relief, then gently pulled back. "Quae, we have to hurry. I don't know when they're coming back for you," he said, his voice low. "Yes, I know," she replied, quickly pulling herself back together. She wiped her face on her sleeve, then took a deep breath. "How did you know where I was?" she asked, as they stepped past the unconscious guard outside the door. Alanon grinned. "Arien. She happened to be in Darnassus and spotted you with those guards. She noticed you didn't look happy, so she followed you to the Temple, then called me over the buzzbox." "Do me a favor, big brother, and kiss her next time you see her," Quae said feelingly, and he chuckled. She never would have thought she'd be so happy to hear that sound.

She was all nerves as they made their way out of the Temple through the back passageways. Alanon led the way, stopping often to listen for sounds of pursuit, but it seemed her rescue hadn't been discovered yet. They finally made it outside, where Alanon allowed only a short pause before hurrying her away from the Temple and toward the portal to Rut'theran. He didn't risk the flight master, taking her to the boat instead. During the trip he gave her a short description of how he had sneaked into the Temple, staying in cat form to better follow her scent when he found it, then waiting til all was quiet before incapacitating the guards and unlocking her door. The boat ride was a short one, and he cut the story short as they docked at Auberdine. Before going out on deck he stopped Quae and handed her a cloak. "Should have had this sooner, but I wasn't exactly prepared to smuggle you out from under the priestesses' noses." Quae chuckled at his attempt at humor, a trace of hysteria audible just under the surface. He looked at her sharply. "Almost safe now, Quae," he reassured her. "Don't fall apart just yet."

He helped her off the boat and they hurried down the dock. Quae kept the cloak's hood pulled low over her face, leaving just enough uncovered to see where she was going. Alanon led her out into the Darkshore forest, and finally he stopped and let out a low whistle. Nearby the brush stirred, then came a voice Quae had feared she might never hear again. "Alanon? Did you get her?" Barraccus asked anxiously. "Yes, she's here," the druid replied as the death knight stepped out of the trees he was hiding in. His eyes met Quae's as she pushed the hood back. A second later she was in his arms, trying to hold back a sob as she wrapped her arms around his chest. "Oh Quae, Quae, I thought I lost you," he said softly as he held her tightly. "Are you alright, love?" She looked up at his face; he seemed to be fighting back tears as well. "Now I am," she replied.

Alanon soon had a small fire going. Quae sat next to Barraccus, leaning against him for reassurance. The stress of the last few hours and the resulting weariness were starting to make everything seem surreal to her. She wasn't even surprised when Pitch and Jahira came up, with Jahira bringing Riptik with her. Pitch had apparently been scouting, and he spoke with Alanon in whispers as Quae picked Rip up and held him close. The tiny wolvar seemed to understand that something serious had happened and didn't squirm like he usually did, instead sitting quietly in her lap and patting his "mother" on the arm. After a few minutes the two druids came over.

"Pitch says all is clear," Alanon told them. "Now we need to decide what to do next. Going home I think is out of the question; they probably already have guards sent there to bring you back." "What about Winterspring?" Barraccus asked. Alanon shook his head. "Quae's name may not be on the papers, but they know now that you two are together, and I'm sure that will be the next place they look." Barraccus frowned in frustration, his face dark. Alanon continued. "I don't think the Moonglade would be a good idea either. It's not a big place, and the druids won't stop the priestesses from doing anything there, so long as it doesn't disturb the Glade."

Quae looked at all of them, sitting around her trying to make sure of her safety, and felt a rush of warmth. "Well," she said finally. "I can think of a possible place. It's big enough to hide in for a long time, and the priestesses don't have any sway there." Alanon quirked an eyebrow at her, then suddenly grinned in approval as he caught on. The others looked at her in confusion, waiting for her to explain. She looked each one in the face, then allowed herself a small smile. "Outland, of course." Pitch started grinning widely, as the others all glanced at each other in relief. "All right, sounds perfect," said Barraccus. "But I'm coming with you, at least for the first few weeks." She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "She'll be all right, brother," Pitch broke in. "I can watch over her too."

Alanon looked at them all, seeing agreement in all faces. "It's settled then. At first light we start for the Dark Portal."

* * * * * *

They reached the Portal before noon the next day, and gathered together in front of it. Quae looked at Alanon and Jahira, standing back a bit from the others, then stepped over and hugged them both. "Thank you for coming after me," she said quietly. "You know we would have," Alanon replied. "That's what families do, they watch out for each other." She smiled at him, then stepped back to Barraccus' side. The death knight shifted Rip in his arms so he could take her hand. "Ready?" She nodded, then glanced back to her brother and sister again and waved. They waved back as, with Barraccus beside her and Pitch trailing behind, she stepped through the Portal into Outland.

_______________

Probably going to cheat a bit & have Barraccus run her through the Outland dungeons for a bit before she starts questing. The hard part will be dividing my time between her and Pitch. I'm hoping to get them both to 80 in a couple months, giving myself time off to avoid burnout.

And now I need to crash. Goodnight and Happy Hunting!

Be careful what you wish for...

I've had a sore throat since last Friday. Been feeling stuffy-headed off & on since... Monday I think. Had a couple sneezing/coughing fits in the last couple days. But I haven't felt really SICK yet. Then last night over vent I said "I wish I would either get sick or get over it, cause I hate this in-between stuff." Guess what? /reaches for another Kleenix

I also woke up with a monster crick in my neck/shoulder. I went in to work anyway, but left halfway thru the day because I was having trouble using my right arm. Ugh.

Quae and Barraccus Move To Winterspring

Wanted to get this out of the way. Quae is 55 now and will be hitting Outland soon, so right now story progression is good.
_________________

"You're leaving us?" Pitchblack looked at Quae mournfully. She swatted at him. "I'll still be around," she said."Just not at home much anymore. Besides, it's not like we all see each other much anyway. You don't even write." Pitch chuckled. "I bet you just got tired of us being around when Barraccus is home," he teased. Quae grinned back at him. "My dear brother, whatever would give you that idea?" They both laughed.

Pitch was the first one to sober. "I really am glad you two are together. He's a great guy." Quae eyed him, then chuckled again. "Are you just saying that because he's been out with you in Zangarmarsh all week?" she teased him. He grinned. "Well, maybe. But really, if I got to choose another brother, I'd pick him for sure." Quae reached over and patted his hand. "Good," was all she said.

Quae suddenly stood. "I've got to go, he's probably waiting for me." "Where are you off to this time?" Pitch asked her. "Blackrock Mountain," she answered. "Going to give some Dark Iron dwarves a hard time." She grinned wickedly, and he laughed again, then waved her off. "Go on and have fun, little sister," he said, and she waved and headed out.

* * * * * *



Quae and Barraccus left the Winterspring flight master hand-in-hand. They both appeared lost in thought. Riptik slept quietly in his little pocket on the outside of Barraccus' backpack as they headed to the stable for their mounts, then rode out into the snow. Quae finally broke the silence. "I believe we can trust Vestala," she said, and Barraccus nodded. "She seems a good sort. We just need to be careful how many people find out about us." "I know," Quae said quietly. "Kal and I were just talking, and she snuck up on us." "Quae, it's fine," he interrupted. "You don't need to apologize."

They rode in silence for a bit, then Quae asked, "So where exactly is this house?" Barraccus turned Oscor down the road to Starfall Village at about that moment. "Down here," he said, and rode ahead. Quae quickly urged Moon after him. When she caught up with him, he had left the trail and was circling around a little cottage, sitting by itself near the village. "Here it is," he said grandly, and they both swung down from their mounts and entered. Quae looked all around the small house as Barraccus carefully removed Riptik from his pocket, then placed him in a ready-made nest near the fireplace. The wolvar pup barely made a peep as he was settled into his bed, still snoozing.

He straightened up as she turned to face him. "I like it," she declared, and he chuckled. "Good thing, since I already put my money down. It's mine now, or rather ours." He said the last part warmly, as he stepped over and put one arm around her. She rested her cheek against his chest, still looking around a bit. "The bearskin rug is a nice touch," she commented. "Yes," Barraccus replied. "The floor gets a bit cold." "A bit? I would think so," she laughed, pulling back from him. She then began fiddling with his armor, trying to unfasten the shoulder-guards. He raised one eyebrow at her. "And what are you up to now?" he asked, though his expression said he knew exactly what. She grinned wickedly at him. "Well, I'd like to see how warm the bed is next." "Mhmm. Normally I think you'd test that by sleeping in it." Her grin stretched wider. "I do intend to sleep in it. Eventually." His crooked grin started to spread across his face, as he began helping her with his armor.

Shaurria: Trust

This has been a work in progress for several weeks. I'm not really happy with it because I wanted it to be longer, but Epic Writer's Block fails. So, here's what I've gotten done so far. Note: this is a bit more serious than the last one. Also, the pictures I was gonna stick in were lost when my thumb drive died. :(
_________________________

"Ah'm 'eadin' ta th' Plaguelands, kitten. Ah'm goin' back 'ome, ta Lordaeron."

Arvoss' words echoed in her head as Shaurria trotted to the Pig & Whistle tavern. The Pig was usually busy this night of the week, and she had gotten to know several of the regulars. So even though Arvoss was gone and Windstar and Frazle were nowhere to be found, she headed over out of habit.

Loneliness drove her to approach several different people, testing them for friendliness with a purr before begging an ear rub from the likeliest. Her evening improved considerably when two people she considered friends arrived. She spent the rest of the night sticking close to one or the other of them. As the tavern finally emptied and the druid she had befriended sat on the floor with her, giving her rubs and pats, she no longer felt quite so lonely.

* * * * * *

Shaurria stalked her next target carefully. The humans here in Darkshire needed help, and she had been tasked with culling the worgen numbers in the surrounding woods. Her technique was pretty simple- creep up through the shadows or underbrush, then pounce on her target and bite and claw it, while avoiding its teeth or claws, until it stopped moving. It didn't exactly take a lot of skill, but it was efficient, and she was slowly learning some finesse.

Killing was easier if she just thought of it as hunting. Cats were natural hunters, after all. But on occasions, in her mind, she could see that furbolg from so long ago, falling under her claws. She didn't quite understand why it troubled her so much, but it did. She had thought of talking about it with Arvoss, or maybe Windstar, but every time her nerve had failed.

Her hunting gave her time to think, as well. The words the Cat Spirit had told her rang through her head. Depend on no one but yourself, he had said. Shaur realized she was breaking that rule, but didn't know what to do about it. Arvoss was always there for her, and she really didn't want it any other way. Between him and 'Star, it was almost like having her parents back, and she desperately wanted that. She just wasn't ready to be by herself yet.

Shaur's buzzbox, laying on top of her pack nearby, suddenly crackled. "Evenin', all." Arvoss' voice came across clearly. Shaurria forgot the worgen and dove for the box, changing out of cat as she did. "Arvoss!" she exclaimed. "Are ya coming home soon?" She heard him chuckle. "Aye, lass. Ah'll be there before too long." Shaur heard Windstar start talking then, but she paid no attention. She quickly grabbed her pack and headed back to Stormwind to wait.

* * * * * *

"Kitten, there's sommat Ah've been wonderin' about." She looked up at Arvoss curiously, waiting for him to continue. "Why dinnae ye talk in yer kitty shape? Alla otha druids Ah've seen can do it." Shaur frowned, thinking. "Because my brain is a kitty," she said after a bit, then looked at him and fell over laughing at the expression on his face. "I can't explain it any better!" she said, giggling. Then she grew more serious. "But when I'm a cat, I think like a cat mostly. And cats don't talk. So, there it is."

* * * * * *

Shaurria knew that this was a Serious Talk by the expression on Arvoss' face. He patted the park bench next to him, and after a moment's hesitation she sat down. "Kitten," he began. "Ah feel like ye oughta talk about whateveh 'appened to ye. Ye ain't eveh gonna be free o' it til ye do, ye ken?" She nodded reluctantly. "Dinnae ye trust me?" he asked. She looked at him miserably. "Yes," she said in a small voice. "Ah reck' Star oughta be there s'well, an' 'ow about Tad?" Shaur just nodded, eyes downcast. Arvoss gently tipped her chin up, so she was looking at him. "S'aright, kitten," he said gently. "Ye dinnae 'ave ta do it til yer ready. But ye oughta be doin' it soon." Shaur looked at him for a long while, then just cuddled against him, her face buried in his shoulder. He didn't say anything more, he just held her.

* * * * * *

Shaurria left the Pig feeling unsettled. She made her way to the Gilded Rose and went inside. The innkeeper nodded at her as she went by. "Upstairs, to the right. His usual room." Shaur purred briefly and went up, finding Arvoss' scent and following it to his room. She stepped to the edge of the bed and murred softly, not wanting to wake him if he was asleep. He was still awake, however, and quickly sat up, moving to the edge next to her. Shaur shifted out of cat and sat beside him. After a moment, she said softly, "Aely seemed so sad." "Aye," Arvoss replied. "Love 'urts sommat th' tahm." Shaur sighed and leaned against him; he put one arm around her.

Almost as an afterthought, she added, "I talked to her. I think she'll be okay." Arvoss just grunted acknowledgment. Then, after a moment, "Ye did what?" "Talked to her," she repeated shyly. Arvoss blinked at her. Then grunted again. "Ye did, eh?" he said, sounding pleased. "Dinnae s'pose there's a chance ye'll start talkin' ta others naow, too, eh? Like mebbe yer crazy druid frien'?" Shaur shrugged. "He's not really that bad. He's just.... odd, I guess."

They sat in silence for a bit before Shaurria said, "He told me something before I left, but I don't understand it. He said I'm not, uh, one of the circle? But maybe soon." She shrugged again, looking perturbed. Arvoss frowned. "Hmph. Ye're both druids, right? Mebbe 'e means yer Cenarion Circle." "I don't know, maybe. I... I don't know much about them, really. Spent so much time with him that I didn't see the others alot." Arvoss patted her shoulder. "Ah reck' ye'll figger it out sooner or late, lass, Dinnae let it botha ye right naow. Ye ready fer sleep?" Shaur nodded and stood. Changing back to cat, she found her usual spot on the floor, turned in place a couple times and curled up. She was asleep before Arvoss was even settled back into bed.

______________

Last bit was from RP night a couple weeks ago. Shaur still has no idea what he was talking about. And yes, Shaur is now talking to people outside her little "circle". We'll see how that goes.

Got a few more that I'm working on, but writer's block is killing me, and I'm starting to catch something. Don't know when I'll have something finished, sorry. It'll be up here when it's done.

First Week With New Computer (And A Few Thoughts)

And I'm loving it! The graphics are amazing, lag is almost gone, and what lag I do have I now know is from the internet or the game, and not caused by my computer. Still waiting for the connector thingy so I can run both monitors, and then I'll be cruising.

Pitchblàck is up to level 65, almost 66, and is still in Zangarmarsh. He's about finished there and will be hitting Nagrand soon to get his last few levels. One thing that I think has really sped up his leveling is the ability to fly as soon as he hit 60, it makes it so much easier to get from one spot to the next. And he'll have his cold weather flying book waiting for him at 68, so Northrend shouldn't take long either.

Quae is also getting up there, she's 52 now. I'm debating doing quests up to 58, or just running her through dungeons. She got from 48 to 52 just from Sunken Temple (LOVING the heirloom shoulders) and I'm thinking of taking her thru Blackrock Depths next. After that, who knows? I haven't run any of the vanilla dungeons in ages, and it could be fun taking her thru all of them. I'm also starting to feel in a hurry to get her into Outland, I've even got a story all ready to go when she does. I think I'd like to have all my Alliance up to 80 before the next expansion hits (sorry Taurros!).

The main reason that I'm thinking of leveling her thru dungeons, is that I transferred Barraccus to my second account, so I've been using him to take her thru. He's also been helping Pitch with a few group quests, and will probly run him thru Coilfang Reservoir as well. He's finally got the money for his dual-spec, though I haven't bought it yet because I'm still putting together his tank set. I'm still running heroics like crazy whenever I can, but his emblems are going toward dps gear. Once I'm happy with that set, I'll start getting emblem tank gear.

Alanon is still coming along as well. I'm really liking feral at 80, but I'll probly switch him back to boomkin when Pitch reaches 80 himself; I don't really need 2 level 80 feral druids (although it could be fun...). My guild is running Ulduar weekly, so he's getting emblems and gear even though most of my non-raiding work has been with Barraccus. I'm thinking of picking up some feral gear with the badges, since he's been pretty lucky on loot drops.



I've been completely neglecting Kaledain & Khaotic since my laptop broke down, which I hate, but I really want to get them transferred soon, and I'm still trying to decide on a new "home" for them. I started thinking Feathermoon, but my sister & I started new alts on Wyrmrest Accord, and while I haven't done much there yet, she has and told me that so far she likes it. So they might wind up going there. I'm still open to suggestions, though.

Shaurria is coming along nicely, both leveling- and RP-wise. Last Tuesday night's RP was awesome, and inspired me to start working on the follow-up to her first story. It's coming slowly but I'll try to have it finished soon. She's been much happier at the Pig because Arvoss has come on the last few nights. I figured it's past time to get his own RP going, so he'll be trying to make as many nights as he can. I do want to get him to Outland soon, but I'm thinking of holding off til my sister gets her hunter Tadrith up, then they can go together.



My poor Horde toons have all been ignored, more or less, for weeks. I intended to get Taurros the druid to 80 after Barraccus, and he does have more of a head start than Pitch (Taurros is 73), but every time I log on Durotan, I get bored or frustrated after a few minutes and end up back on Alliance. I said before, I love my guild, but I'm just not happy with the server anymore. I've thought about transferring the ones that I want to play to another server, but I'm not sure where. Maybe a faction change would help...

Basically I'm making a list, and it's going something like this- I'm keeping Boogga, Taurros, Taurron, Rajast, and Zuuluu. Drenka, Toorambar, and Furrealz are all still low enough that I wouldn't feel too bad about simply remaking them on another server. Kaled and Khaotic are already going to be transferred, so I'm not worried about them. As for Heylookimded...

I just have a real problem with leveling clothies. I'm kind of an in-your-face player, hence all the druids and deathknights. Heck, that's probably why I love tanking so much. Hunters are different, but having a pet is enough to make them a favorite class. I've tried leveling mages, priests, and warlocks before, and the highest I've gotten was a lvl 37 mage (deleted ages ago) and Ded, who is around 35. I honestly think the only reasons I've been able to stick with Quae are- my guild is just awesome, and she has a great, detailed RP thing going on. (And maybe because shadowpriests are overpowered. >.>) So getting back to Ded... he may wind up getting deleted also.

(Little bit off-topic, but I also have major problems leveling paladins. I've tried multiple times, and the highest I've gotten is 21 before deleting them.)

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Sorry about the long rambly post, but it's been bugging me for awhile. If you have any thoughts/suggestions, feel free to leave a comment! ^_^

Til next time, Happy Hunting!

Guess What?

I have my new computer at last!! And so far it is amazing. Once I had WoW installed I logged on for a bit, and... wow, 60fps in Orgrimmar! 23fps in Dalaran!! Just so you know, my average lately has been 4-7fps, going down into decimals whenever I'm in Dalaran, so this is a HUGE change. I'm loving it.

The monitor is my 19" widescreen, I have a second 17" monitor that I'll also be using, but need a special connector to run both, so for now I'm just using the one.

Still downloading/installing stuff on it, because the last couple days have been busy and I haven't had much time for it. So, til next time Happy Hunting!

Just Because...

This movie is so full of win. Thanks to Pike for providing the link!

Barraccus and Quae: Riptik

My apologies to all blood elf mages for this story. ;)
_______________________

Barraccus entered the Kalu'ak village, holding the fur-lined leather bag like it contained fine Dalaran crystal. He found the tuskarr he needed and handed the bag over gently. "Here they are, a dozen wolvar pups," he said, trying to hide his distaste. The tuskarr, Mau'i, took the bag just as gently, motioning to another tuskarr as he placed it on the ground. It squeaked as he turned it over so the pups could scramble out. "I thank you, Barraccus," the portly fellow said as he and the other- a female, Barraccus thought, though he couldn't tell them apart well enough to be sure- herded the little ones toward a small hut off to the side.

"Did the adults give you any trouble?" Mau'i asked him, as the female tuskarr took over the pups, waving him away. Barraccus shook his head. "No, a Sin'dorei mage had just gone through the camp. I just followed the trail and found the little ones hiding in the tents." Mau'i nodded sadly. "I wish we didn't have to do this, but the wolvar leave us little choice," he said. Barraccus just nodded as he looked around the small Kalu'ak village called Moa'ki Harbor. He winced as a lucky shot from one of the hidden wolvar warriors took down a tuskarr guard, but fortunately the guard was only wounded and soon made his way to the healer, as another warrior took his place in the defense line.

The death knight left shortly after. He decided to ride Oscor rather than flying out on Berk, and followed the trail through the wolvar village, not paying much attention to his surroundings. Until, that is, he heard a whimper as he passed by one tent.

Barraccus quickly stopped Oscor and looked around. He recognized the tent as one he had passed while he had been collecting the pups for the Kalu'ak. The charred bodies of the blood elf's victims still lay nearby. He dismounted and began searching the tent and its surroundings. He had thought that he had found all the pups here, but realized that he had missed one when he saw a pair of bright, beady eyes staring at him from the back of the tent. Barraccus crouched down at the entrance, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, and clucked to the frightened pup.

It took almost an hour for the pup to finally leave its hiding spot and creep closer. Barraccus couldn't feel his feet and his legs were starting to cramp, but he didn't dare move as the young wolvar, little more than an infant, came close enough to sniff his hand. It looked up at him and whined pitifully, then made a grumbling noise that Barraccus took for speech. "If you're looking for your mama, I'm afraid she can't help you anymore," he told it softly. At the sound of his voice, the baby sidled closer, then latched onto his wrist and buried its face into his sleeve, its sharp little claws clinging. Barraccus coaxed it into his lap, then stood up unsteadily. He cradled the pup close as he stomped some feeling back into his feet, then went back to Oscor.

When he presented the pup to Mau'i, however, the tuskarr shook his head. "I'm afraid we had you bring in the largest number we could handle," he said. "We don't have the space or resources for even one more." "But-" Barraccus cut off his protest as he looked around Moa'ki and could tell that the tuskarr's words were true. He looked down at the pup, now sleeping in the crook of his arm. "Then what should I do with him?" he asked. "You could always take him back. The wolvar would not abandon one of their own. But..." Mau'i trailed off meaningfully, and Barraccus finished the thought for him. "But he will grow up as savage as the others, and only cause trouble like his kin." The death knight sighed.

Mau'i gently tickled the pup's ears; he growled softly in his sleep. "Why not take him home?" he asked the death knight. "You could raise him yourself, you know. He's already becoming attached to you." Barraccus looked thoughtful for a minute. "I might do that," he said, "But I need to make sure it's okay first." "Oh really?" replied Mau'i, surprised. "Okay with who?" Barraccus grinned at him. "My other half," he said.

* * * * * *

Quae's new saber Moon was in the stable when Barraccus arrived at home. None of the other mounts were there, which was fine with Barraccus; he and Quae were alone. The wolvar pup had woken up during the ride from Astranaar and now sat up in his arms, looking around with bright eyes.

After spending some time with a Kalu'ak who understood some of the wolvar tongue, Barraccus had learned that the pup was old enough to know his name, at least, and was called Riptik. Now as he carried the baby into the house, he hoped Quae was in a good mood.

He found her in the kitchen, washing a few dishes. She looked up when he came in and smiled. "Hey," she said. "I wasn't sure when you would get here, so I already had some supper. Did you want anything?" "No, I'm fine," he quickly replied. "But, um, Quae? I need to show you something." She looked at him curiously, then followed him into the main room.

He stopped and picked up a bundle that she couldn't see clearly, then stood with his back turned, hiding whatever he was holding. "Quae," he began. "I know that we decided not to start any kind of family until after Arthas was taken care of, but, umm, well you know that sometimes things happen." "Alright, Barraccus," Quae interrupted. "What did you do now?" "Have you heard of the Kalu'ak?" he asked her in response, looking back over his shoulder. She thought she heard a growl come from whatever he was holding, but wasn't sure. "No- wait, yes. Alanon told me about them," she replied. "They're some kind of animal-men, like the Tauren." "Yea," Barraccus said, more quickly now. "I've been helping some of them in the Dragonblight, at a village called Moa'ki. They're under attack by a tribe of creatures called wolvar. I've captured some of the wolvar pups for them from time to time, so the Kalu'ak can raise the pups to be friendly and not attack them. That's had... mixed results," he admitted.

Quae studied him, trying to see what he was hiding again. "That's all fine, but what about them?" she asked. "Weelll...." Barraccus trailed off, then finally turned around. In his arms was a fuzzy little creature that looked vaguely humanoid, obviously a baby. "This is Riptik," Barraccus told her. "He's an orphan now. A blood elf went through his part of the village right before I did, and... well, you can guess, I'm sure." Quae nodded, not taking her eyes off the pup. "Yes I can. Sin'dorei are bloody in more than just the name." She stepped closer, holding one hand out to the pup. "What is he doing here, then?" she asked, although she thought she knew the answer. "Well, the Kalu'ak said that perhaps we could raise him ourselves," Barraccus said. "I'd like to give it a try, at least, but it's really up to you."

Quae didn't answer for a long time, instead getting to know the little creature in his arms. She thought hard as she gently scritched his head. Barraccus had never hidden the fact that he wanted a family, and for that matter, so did she. She knew they would have to adopt; Barraccus' undead state prevented him from fathering his own kids, a fact that gave her no little pain, especially when she thought of how much he had loved his own sons, now long dead. She wasn't sure how they would work things out if they kept this little one, but she could tell he wanted it, and there were some things she just couldn't tell him no about.

Finally she looked up, into his hopeful eyes. "Yes," she said. "We'll keep him." He broke into a huge grin, and she knew it was the right decision. He sat down on the nearest chair and settled Riptik on his lap. "Rip," he said gently. "Your mama can't take care of you anymore. But if you want, Quae here can be your new mama." Riptik looked from him to Quae, his eyes bright, then growled, "Mamma." He then promptly opened his mouth and pointed at it meaningfully.

Barraccus warmed up some meat and chopped it up finely, while Quae raided the nursing supplies that Pitch kept on hand for any orphaned animals he found. Soon enough Riptik was bedded down in a corner of the kitchen, his stomach full, fast asleep.

Barraccus spent a few moments making sure he was tucked in snugly before joining Quae upstairs. As he slid into bed next to her, she grinned impishly at him. "Anything else you wanted to show me tonight?" He gave her his crooked grin. "Maybe how much I've missed you," he said teasingly, then leaned in for a kiss.

Sometime in the middle of the night, they were woken by a thin, high-pitched cry. It took Quae a moment to remember what it could be. Oh, right, the little one. She fumbled for a robe, only to be stopped by Barraccus' hand on her arm. "I'll get him," he whispered, then was gone. She heard him padding down the stairs as she groggily wondered if he had even been asleep.

Riptik soon stopped crying, but fussed every time they tried to put him back down. Finally they let him stay on the bed, and all three fell back asleep, with the little wolvar snuggled between his new parents.
___________________________

And that's how they got their wolvar pup. Hurray for the Northrend orphan quests, hehe.