Pet Notes, Level 70-72

Tivara hit 72 last night, thanks to helping out the swell undead guys at New Agamand. (Some of my characters would be horrified by it all. It's fortunate for my desire to explore that Tivara's personality includes plenty of room for finding the plague project fascinating.) Along the way I've been playing around with a variety of pets.

• Gorilla: Sagarmatha. No question about it, gorillas remain my pets of choice. The tanky pet is most comfortable and enjoyable for me in more circumstances than any other option.

• Wolf: Scourgebane. Almost as dear to my heart as Sagarmatha, Scourgebane is my instance pet of choice (everyone who does damage likes Furious Howl, pretty much), and I bring her out for questing when I feel like doing some single-target attacking and less volleying.

• Devilsaur: Gorynych. I'm genuinely uncertain about ol' Stompy. He's fun, and though he's taller than a rhino (see below), he doesn't have the bulk or thick fur, so he's easier to see around. But I don't feel any real urge to use him outside instancing. I suspect I should probably keep him leveled up and see how he does in higher-level instances and raids. I can afford the stable slot, at least for now.

• Worm: Kurgan. Not bad so far, but I haven't given it a really hard workout yet. Hoping to get the chance to do that soon.

• Rhino: Byran, retired. I gave it a shot, but it just wasn't the thing for me. They're big and massive enough to make the same kind of visibility and access problems for me that large-winged flying pets do, and while the knockback effect is hilarious to watch, it's much harder to control and maneuver with than gorillas' thunderstomp. I retired her, with thanks.

• Bird of Prey: Shravana, auditioning. I wasn't really planning to try out a new bird of prey, but then I saw someone with the fjord hawk matriarch in Coldarra, and Nyo's player asked me if I'd thought about getting one, and off we went! Not bad at all, so far. I'm not sure she actually does anything Scourgebane doesn't, but I'm willing to keep on experimenting. She has relatively short, thick wings, which means she interferes less than I'd have expected with my visibility.

Come level 74 for Tivara and I'll think about what to do dump to get a Blighthound to play with.

The Nexus, Part 2

• The Nexus, Part 1

This is my blog, not yours, so this post begins with a pretty decent action shot of my character. Most of her armor comes from the battlegrounds. The quiver she made herself, the shoulder pads are from Zul'Aman (and are the fire-breathing bear heads I mentioned at the time), and the bow is new, a token of thanks for efforts in the Howling Fjord. Like most of the new gear in Northrend, it's a much less gaudy affair than a lot of the Outlands gear, and fits the northern-epic vein, I think.

The early fights in the Nexus are against dragonkin (like the one pictured outside the Nexus in part 1)...

...and groups of mixed-race mages, arcane engineers, and others interested in whatever the blue dragonflight is up to. Some of those mages have demonic hound companions, like this:

We also encounter a chamber full of several groups' worth of frozen adventurers or explores, who frankly aren't as grateful for unthawing as I'd like. In fact we have to fight them as soon as they can move:

In the picture above, you see that the path curves around a raised area on the right. When Tivara turned 90 degrees in that direction, she saw this (and was very glad they didn't have to fight it, too):

And ahead of us...more mystery:

But before we can get there, a smaller passage...

...into another large hall, with that mysterious space from before off to our right:

Some of those glowing runes hang in the air in front of a wall. Others emerge from the wall, floating out and then rising or hanging until they dissipate...

...and the chamber we'd seen past the frozen intruders is filled with them:

I didn't get any good pictures of the ensuing fight with Grand Magus Telestra on the far side of this chamber. It's a fun fight, and I'll hope for better when Tivara and I go back. In any event, past her is a more natural cavern filled with floating platforms connected by stone-like bridges:

Overseeing mana elementals, their tenders, semi- and un-controlled eruptions of mana through portals, and other complication is Anomalus, a sentient gathering of mana and void energy:

I mentioned earlier, by the way, that healers have some things to do when they're not healing. This is druid fun. Amedina (off to the left at the time this picture was taken) has summoned up a Hurricane spell. Clouds form over the area she's targeted and lighting bolts blast every enemy beneath. There's a reason her player keeps asking "Can I AOE these?"

On the other side of the circle of chambers and halls that comprises the Nexus, a tree turned to pure magical crystal:

Indeed, an entire wing of crystal, some of it very much active and interested in repelling us:

Eventually we found and brought down Ormorok the Tree-Shaper, the elemental responsible for the unnatural ecology:

A two-fer from that gauntlet: Tivara inspecting a trapped frost nymph, and Amedina in the midst of casting another Hurricane:

And so we came to the last of the Nexus' chambers, to be confronted with fresh evidence that whatever else he may be, Malygos is a first-rate bastard. He'd captured Keristrasza, a member of the red dragonflight, and was breaking her will with the aim of making her his newest consort. We got stuck with the job of killing her before he could finish the job:

The deed done, we made our way back out to report to the Kirin Tor. They are understandably both curious and alarmed, and there'll be more to do there in days to come.

The Nexus, Part 1

Wow. Just...wow.

So, the Nexus. There's backstory here that'll be in part 3 of my "World in WoW" series when I get there. Concisely, I'll just say that the mountainous island of Coldarra is home to Malygos, one of the five dragon Aspects given charge of different parts of the world when the titans were done making it. Malygos and his blue dragonflight are bound to the force of magic (as other dragonflights are bound to life, time, and so on). Millennia back, the leader of the black dragonflight listened a bit too much to the Old Gods (remember the big thing with a sword in its head?), went mad, and set about slaughtering all his rivals. The blue dragonflight suffered many losses, and Malygos himself went mad. He's been out there in the northern distance ever since, up to...well, that's a good question. What is he up to now? Dragons from some of the other dragonflights have been gathering there too, and it's safe to assume that the Lich King is not exerting a constructive influence.

(On the player level I know what he's up to and what the Nexus War is because I read some spoilers and promotional teasers. Tivara doesn't, and I'll save it for when she gets to find out.)

The Nexus is a three-part dungeon. It's got two areas set up for five-person groups, and a raid area at the top for 10 or 25 level-80 characters to challenge Malygos himself. Last night Tivara and I saw part one (also called the Nexus) for the first time, and were both dazzled.

First off, getting there is remarkable. Each faction has its wind masters, who provide flying steeds: most are members of the Horde or Alliance races, and goblins operate some neutral ones. The nexus has something different:

This is the flight to Coldarra, rising up on the left:

Among the people interested in Malygos' activities are the Kirin Tor, the most powerful gathering of mages native to Azeroth. (More about this in the World in WoW, eventually, too.) They've got up an anti-magic shield that cloaks them from Malygos, who would certainly otherwise notice them and have some quick snacks.

This is a few paces just outside the shield. That's a quadrupedal dragonkin in the foreground, and behind it the arctic version of a race of elemental protectors who roam various forests and wild lands:

One thing about beings who command magic as part of their very essence is that they end up in the midst of a very deeply mana-infused landscape. Some plants and animals become creatures of part or pure mana, like this arcane serpent:

The would-be hero makes her way down into the valley and finally arrives at the bottom of the tower:

This is as good a time as any to mention the rest of the party. Here are druid Marendyn and orc Gargantax, two of Archon's best tanks. Garg's player has been busy in recent months and not played much, so this was a chance for him to catch up and see new sights too:

Here's a better look at Gargantax. His eyes look peculiar because he's an engineer and wearing goggles that enhance his abilities in all kinds of ways. Note Marendyn, in cat form, peeking in. Also, that runic patten in vivid blood between them? Liquid mana drips from the ceiling inside the Nexus, and when it hits, instead of making a simple splash, it makes these mandalas that bloom and fade in a fraction of a second. It's pure luck that I got a shot of one.

This is Amedina, another tauren druid—specializing in restoration talents, rather than feral like Marendyn. Her player is one of my favorite people to trust for healing.

Rounding out the party is blood elf Nyo, a frequent partner in questing for Tivara. I have a daylight picture of her in the 70-71 roundup; here's an action shot of her healing the rest of us, while Scougebane bites hard on something just behind. (And what happens when two healers are in a single party? They also get to do some damage-dealing. I have a picture of that coming up.)

Anyway, we all come in through the instance portal, and this is the room waiting for us:

I don't know how well you can tell from this picture and the previous one, but that white sigil is floating in mid-air:

Coming up in part 2, the rest of the instance and some of its inhabitants.

From 70 to 71: A Miscellany, part 1

Tivara earned her first level of Lich King experience last night. Color me happy! This is a real grab bag of things I've seen, done, and/or thought about along the way.

The interior of Utgarde Keep (seen in part 2 of my intro tour) is gorgeous:

Most of the inhabitants are vrykul, up to bad things on behalf of their new chosen master, the Lich King. These fellows were making powerful weapons when we came along:

But they're not alone. There are, for instance, enslaved proto-dragons—bipedal rather than quadrupedal like the dragons found on the other continents:

And the frenzied geists, which I know are going to make at least one of my readers think, "Hey, they're up on their Barker":

I haven't yet taken a character into the Nexus, the other introductory dungeon. I do have a friend who specifically hopes that he can be grouped with me when I do, to get my reactions, which makes it sound all the more intriguing. Pictures will no doubt follow.

The cold seas of Northrend turn out to be rich in life, including my favorites:

And inland and uphill, a stone giant take it all with him:

In the Warcraft universe, dryads are tangible nature spirits, and centaurs are the offspring of their seduction and corruption by elementals. Northrend has suitably arctic dryads, the frost nymphs:

Meanwhile, back at the Borean Tundra, this is the way to scout contested territory:

Down on the coast, the marauding kvaldir (mentioned here briefly earlier) are at work destroying anyone and anything along the shores. They come wrapped in a formidable magical mist:

Yes, while Tivara is in the mist, I see her field of view reduced and colors de-saturated. It's a wonderful eerie bit of scene-setting.

There are also some formidable Scourge forces in a nearby valley that's been sprayed with poisons and diseases, like the Warsong Aberration seen here:

But it's okay, because after a series of quests to gather up crucial materials for repair and upgrade, Tivara got to charge right into the middle of their ranks...in this:

I've drawn circles to help you spot Tivara in the midst of the tainted air and goblin machinery. Alas, no still picture can capture the experience. The thing chugs and trembles and belches smoke and *insert maniacal giggling*. So. Yeah. It shoots rockets and stuff, but you can also fire up the blades on the front end and just grind down the Scourge in front of you. This quest calls for grinding down a hundred of them (and also rescuing trapped soldiers whose vehicles got taken down in earlier waves of the assault and counter-assault):

I've got some other things I want to share pictures of, but for now I'll wrap up with a look at gear. This is Tivara's guildmate Nyo, mentioned from time to time already. Here she is showing new helmet and weapon, which go very nicely with the Argent Dawn tabard and undead-slaying gear she got from hunting Scourge invaders:

Now That's What I Call An Event!

"Thanks, that's what I call it too."—Stella (Linda Hunt), in Silverado, speaking of something else.

Tonight the Lich King took it right into the heart of the Horde and Alliance, with attacks on Orgrimmar and Stormwind. I happen to have been playing Tivara tonight, so this is the Horde side of it.

It starts with a gathering of the senior members of the orcs and undead in the Horde:

They're gathered in conference to decide what to do about the rising threat from the Lich King. Garrosh argues for immediate attack; Sylvanas agrees, and offers the services of Putress and the other apothecaries. Saurfang counsels caution, and Thrall agrees, arguing that the Horde needs strategy as well as tactics. All of this takes place with them gathered around a table with a nifty map:

Garrosh loses his patience and accuses Thrall of cowardice. The argument escalates into an all-out duel, and the Ring of Valor gets used at last! (It's been in the game since release day, and never had a purpose until now). It's a great fight, and one my screenshots can't do justice to:

Thrall concedes!

But before he can complete the concession, there's tremendous uproar outside. It's the Herald of the Lich King, unleashing something nasty! Thrall promises Garrosh that they'll settle it later. Both leap out of the arena, run outside, and find...an undead frostwyrm, spewing ice!

Make that lots of frostwyrms!

And the frostwyrms unleash legions of abominations!

The fight rages all over the Valley of Honor. PCs fight right alongside Thrall, Garrosh, and the rest. The orcs charge wherever they're needed, while Sylvanas and minions maintain a patrol of their own:

At last, after fifteen minutes or so, the invaders lie crushed:

The leaders gather again. Now Thrall decides it's time for war. He alerts Saurfang to prepare the fleets and Garrosh to prepare the armies. And then calm descends again, for a little while.

The event seems to be playing out two or three times an hour, and it's got a counterpart in Stormwind Harbor. Don't miss it. And little did I realize that Scourgebane would get a chance to do his titular pursuit of vengeance quite so soon!

This was glorious fun. Nobody has to take part in it, but getting to fight right alongside one's leaders is mighty, mighty nifty.