The Queue: Let's get some pony all up in here man
It has come to my attention that not everypony was particularly happy with a certain Mr. Caraway's recent representation of the fair pony citizens of Equestria. Let me assure you, we love ponies here. As an owner of ponies all the way back to a G1 Minty (flat hooves circa 1982, not those concave ones they came out with later -- we're talking old school ponies, man) and an avid collector of My Little Pony merchandise and memorabilia, I would like to assure all residents of Equestria that Mr. Caraway will be properly dealt with.
Please ignore any screams and/or hysterical laughter of one gone mad; I assure you that's just background noise that is all in a day's work here at WoW Insider.
Moving on, why don't we address a few pressing issues regarding the status of orcs and dragons on the internet? Aw heck, why don't we answer two questions at the same time?
Andrew R. asks:
My fiancee picked up a few of the WoW books on sale. I have to wait until Christmas to read them but so far she picked up Arthas, Stormrage and Cataclysm. Is that the order I want to read the books? Are there any books before Arthas that setup the story I should pick up?
Vector asks:
I've read the Warcraft Archive (Day of the Dragon, Lord of the Clans, The Last Guardian, Of Blood and Honor) and finishing up the War of the Ancients Archive (The Well of Eternity, The Demon Soul, The Sundering). What book(s) logically follow the Sundering?
I'm assuming by "Cataclysm," you're talking about The Shattering, Andrew. If that's the case, yep, she wants to read them in that order. As for Warcraft novels and the order in which you want to read them, there's a Lore 101 article out there that should clear up all that confusion for the both of you.
Dr. Knox asks:
Dear Queue,
I'm level capped at 85 and want myself some achievement points. What's the fastest way to become exalted with the various Horde capitals?
There are a couple of different ways you can do that! You can pick up tabards for each city that will give you rep for that particular city as you're doing heroics. These vendors are near the flight masters in the major cities. But if you're really keen on ramping up rep as quickly as possible, go around the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor and clear every zone. Not only will you rack up reputation with the various city factions, but you'll be knocking out quest completion achievements for every zone and clearing a major chunk of the quests that you need for the Loremaster achievement, too!
Weyoun777 asks:
What's the deal with all these NPCs with red nameplates that don't attack players on sight? In most of the world, if you walk near a red NPC, it begins to attack you. In the Molten Front area countless waves of enemies spawn and just go right by the players to attack NPCs. It kind of drives me crazy because initially it seems like going into certain areas is suicide, when really it's as if everything is yellow. Why don't they give them orange nameplates or something (to indicate that they're bad guys but that they are otherwise occupied)?
Well, in the Molten Front, it's the druids who are doing the initial charge into the zone, not players like you and me. Of course, the bad guys are going to beeline straight for the organizers of the event. From a game standpoint, though, it'd be a pretty big mess if all those rushing invaders started punching whoever happened into the zone -- and it'd be a lot harder to complete all those quests. It really should feel like suicide, though. It's a war front.
On a completely unrelated note, your name is kinda making me want to toss you out the nearest airlock for some reason.
Dea ex Machina asks:
Something I've been wondering, is Thrall married now, or just betrothed? I'm not sure if what I witnessed at the end of that quest was a wedding or an engagement party. I mean, he JUST asked her, but maybe that's all it takes for orcs?
They're married -- or the orcish equivalent thereof. Orcs don't really have a need for major ceremonies or the urge to say yes to the dress before they tie the knot, as it were.
jishdefish asks:
I play a male Human Rogue, and I do the Molten Front dailies like many other folks, but Tauren women I save seem to swoon over me.
"I owe you a very special thank you. Find me sometime when this fight is over."
I got this message three or four times. What should I do?
Honey. What do you think that Vanish button is for?
Rymer asks:
Lore Question: So in the quests leading up to the dailies in the Firelands you visit Motoclaw and the Shrine of Malorne and you can talk to her and she says that Cenarious is the son of Malorne and Elune. However in the War of the Anceints books its stated that Cenarious is the son of Malorne and Ysera. Do you know if this is a typo or are they tring to ellude to Ysera and Elune being on in the same?
Richard Knaak actually answered this in an interview over on Blizzplanet. I'll let the answer speak for itself:
yous95 asks:Knaak: Elune and Ysera are not the same. Here is the explanation, per Blizzard, who did not wish any further elaboration in the novel at the time:
--
According to the Sundering, it is said that Ysera is Cenarius's mother. However, Dungard the Earthen says that he thought Elune 'birthed' Cenarius.Elune birthed Cenarius, but gave him up to Malorne because Cenarius was more a creature of the mortal world and could not be with her. Malorne, who had relations with both Elune and Ysera, knew that he could not properly care for his son, but Ysera's love was so great for Malorne that she took Cenarius as her own. Hence being his mother (or adoptive mother).
Question for the Queue:
Back in the War of the Ancients (I think) when Deathwing, then known as Neltharion, was originally driven insane by an Old God, how come the Old God targeted Deathwing and only Deathwing? Maybe he saw evil within his heart? Either way if I were the Old God, I'd try to drive a few more of my enemies insane.
Here's the deal with that: Deathwing was originally Neltharion, the Earthwarder. It was his job to watch over the deep places of Azeroth, the caverns and secret places deep beneath the earth. When the Titans originally imprisoned the Old Gods, they buried them deep beneath the earth. Neltharion just happened to be in far closer proximity to that prison than anyone else; that's why he was the first to succumb.
Then the Sundering hit, split Azeroth into bits and allowed the Old Gods just a little more reach. I'd go further into that, but instead I'll just say Sunday's Know Your Lore will be a tinfoil hat edition that you might enjoy.
macster asks:
On the subject of the dragons turning out at the World Tree, Alexstraza's looking remarkably well after she had be carried away when Deathwing used her as a chew-toy? What happened there?
Well, she, uh ... she got better.
Joe asks:
In addition to the Nozdormu question, what happened to the ritual we were summoned to witness at the start of the quest before Thrall is elemental-split?
I'm pretty sure that what happens at the end of the quest line (which I'll be vague about for spoiler reasons) isn't what we were originally summoned there to witness. But there's no talk about finishing up whatever the original ritual was.
Did I miss something? Or did Bliz just drop the ball on this plot point?
Well, um, you know, love is important. Love is like oxygen. Love is a many-splendored thing; love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love!
... man, Moulin Rouge was a great movie, wasn't it, Joe?
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 13)
Grovinofdarkhour Jul 7th 2011 11:59AM
Don't say I didn't warn you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S7kg1IhZ7M
Shinae Jul 7th 2011 12:05PM
The ponies will group up to defeat My Little Lich King:
http://mugi-hamster.deviantart.com/art/My-Little-Lich-King-209586801
Terrant Jul 7th 2011 12:58PM
Applejack, hero of Ponyville for saving the town from a cow stampede, is clearly a Beastmastery Hunter.
Rainbow Dash is the plate-wearer (see her ideal outfit in "Suited for Success" if you have any doubt).
SaintStryfe Jul 7th 2011 2:32PM
Twilight is obviously a Mage, with Inscription, Enchanting, and a high-level Archeologist.
Apple Jack is a Prot Warrior with Herbalism and Mining.
Rainbow Dash is a Kitty Druid, no known professions, but to be round, I'll call Jewelcrafting and Leatherworking
Fluttershy is a Resto Druid, probably with Herbalism and a very large pet collection.
Pinkie is a Beast Mastery Hunter, with an Crocolisk Pet, tailoring and Engineering.
Rarity is a Warlock, with Tailoring and Jewel-crafting.
Bobury Jul 7th 2011 3:07PM
*main
wait...
o i c what you did there
Tirrimas Jul 7th 2011 3:14PM
Oh god. A Pony fandom within the WoW community.....a BIG one.....
*feigns death*
Donhorn Jul 7th 2011 4:03PM
I gotta say I like different parts of the different lists here.
Applejack I see as a Warrior. I'd say herbalism is a safe skill to give her. And maxed out cooking.
Twilight Sparkle seems like a Mage to me with Enchanting and Inscription Archaeology maxed sound like a dead ringer.
Rarity would be a Priest, she's already "wearing" a Priestly white, and she loves to help others, but make her mad and that Shadow off spec comes out as she says "It Is ON". Tailoring and Jewel Crafting are what she actually does in the show! No choice there really lol.
Fluttershy has already said she'd like to be a tree, so would many Resto Druids. I would give her Feral off spec, cause when she's pushed to her limits she's like a Bear tank! It's hard to say what professions she'd have, but she would have a crap ton of vanity pets.
Rainbow Dash, there are a ton of classes she'd fit. I'd almost go as far as to say she'd be every class. Her competitive nature would bush her to be the best at everything, at least one of each class max leveled, all of them with engineering for those sick speed boots and awesome gadgets to ensure that she gets ahead at everything. Her maine though would probably be a Rouge.
Pinkie Pie I'd place as Hunter for the same reasons as most of the above. She'd use that camouflage ability Hunters have to POP up out of anywhere, she'd have a crocoslic pet, and Engineering for the roflcopter is just win.
Jebediah54 Jul 7th 2011 5:09PM
I can't believe that nobody has said that Fluttershy has to have Tailoring. It was only with her scary knowledge of sewing that they were able to finish Rarity's outfit after all.
I'm going to have to agree with eakin3, and the more I think about it, I think BM Hunter really fits Fluttershy, because they can be really quiet, but also bring the noise when they need to. Definitely has to have the Littlest Pet Shop achievement.
Alexander Krizak Jul 7th 2011 8:08PM
I see Twilight Sparkle as an Arcane Mage (the mage most dedicated to pure unadulterated magic), Applejack as a Protection Warrior (strong, reliable, protective of her friends), Rainbow Dash as a Retribution Paladin (20% cooler than the other specs), Rarity as a Discipline Priest (generously clothing her targets in protective bubbles), Fluttershy as a Resto Druid (she has to be a healer, and druids love animals), and Pinkie Pie as an Elemental Shaman (no class relies on feelings and communication quite like a shaman, and Pinkie's gotta blow things up).
Of course, the reason I feel this way is because I have been reading this: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-world-of-ponycraft.html
TimTheEnchantor Jul 7th 2011 11:09AM
I asked this in a previous article, but figured this is a better place:
How far in advance are WoW Insider articles written? In what ways do these articles get deviated or pushed back (since all articles seem to be released at the top of every hour)?
Just curious :)
(cutaia) Jul 7th 2011 11:13AM
It depends on how close to deadlines the particular writer likes to get. So, articles by Fox Van Allen are all finished 5 minutes before publication.
xvkarbear Jul 7th 2011 12:25PM
You can get the feel of when they're writing stuff if you follow them on twitter.
They always seem to write the queue at nighttime, sometimes very late at night.
Otherwise they all have deadlines, and Holisky gets all grumpy on twitter when they don't meet the deadlines. Sometimes some posts are written days ahead of time (and they'll tease you about it).
As for when they get posted on the site and viewable to the public, I'm pretty sure that's on some sort of schedule or timer.
Allison Robert Jul 7th 2011 2:02PM
I type at 127 wpm, and generally don't bother starting my articles until a minute before they're set to go live. When they do, I type just fast enough to stay ahead of the more adroit readers.
We emphasize timely news.
Peebers Jul 7th 2011 2:39PM
Twitter creeper here! I was similarly curious and eventually some Twitter crumbs between staffers(caster columnist humor) lead to a hint about 9. I was drunk when I read it so idk if articles have to be in before 9am that day or 9am/pm the day before. Obvs they need to be edited so I'm guessing 9am the day before.
loop_not_defined Jul 7th 2011 11:12AM
New Tin Foil Hat article?! YES, PLEASE.
The Dewd Jul 7th 2011 11:45AM
I really wonder how many folks from Blizz all read the Tin Foil Hat editions of Know Your Lore and giggle at both what they get right and get wrong.
Vitos Jul 7th 2011 12:09PM
I cannot wait for another TFH. Shadowmourne is a plane of existance? Magic is a living being? What's next?
rice2007 Jul 7th 2011 11:13AM
The great thing about living on the west coast is that I can wake up, head to work and then almost immediately read The Queue. Life's goooooood.
Nipah Jul 8th 2011 11:46AM
However, I prefer it on the east coast, as I get to read the queue sometime around lunch time, when my lack of clickity-clacking on my keyboard won't be so readily noticed.
Rocksanne Jul 7th 2011 11:15AM
Those whom the gods would destroy are first forced to watch Moulin Rouge