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 4 of 13)
chaosdefined Jul 7th 2011 12:52PM
Thanks for the advice, I'll download Mr Robot and see what's going on with my stats. Yeah I gotta admit I wasn't that enthused for raiding again after getting a bit bored with Cata, but after that brief shot on my Lock again, I'm a bit more interested.
scherbaddie Jul 7th 2011 7:52PM
Mr Robot won't generate stat weights. It uses already generated stat weights to optimise (gem/enchant/reforge) your gear.
Amanda A. Jul 7th 2011 11:22AM
Is there any lore information on the Gilnean Old Ways beyond what's in the start zone? It seems like, once the Gilnean druids meet up with the Night Elves, the concept is forgotten.
MattKrotzer Jul 7th 2011 3:34PM
It pretty much is. If you want a complete starter experience, try a Horde race.
Andalvar Jul 7th 2011 11:22AM
Awesome queue Anne! I can't wait for the next Know Your Lore, while I love all the articles, I love your tinfoil hat editions the best!
Q for the Q:
Okay so I know Vol'jin is a a shadow hunter and I've seen a few more of them, even in outland. What exactly IS a shadow hunter though? Vol'jin is probably my favorite NPC and I'd love to know him better.
Shinae Jul 7th 2011 11:41AM
Shadow hunters are hunters, of course, but with something extra. The class is specific to trolls because they call on the loa to bless them with supernatural powers.
I less-than-three Vol'jin. I hope you didn't miss the Echo Isle event last year.
Eros Jul 7th 2011 1:19PM
In game they seem like a cross between a shaman, priest and hunter. In Warcraft 3 there ability's were Healing Wave (worked like chain heal) Serpent Ward (think Searing Totem except it was a snake on a stick spiting venom) Hex, and Big Bad Voodoo (makes every unit except the Shadow Hunter invulnerable) Note that Rohkah, the Shadow Hunter that traveled with Rexxar had the ability voodoo spirits which was really just a clone of Anub'arak carrion swarm in both is functionality and spell animation, so I'm not sure how that fits into the class.
Vector Jul 7th 2011 11:22AM
Anybody heard anything on the Warcraft movie lately?
puffcake Jul 7th 2011 11:23AM
Question for the Queue:
Is there a legitimate reason why Wrath faction tabards stop granting reputation outside of Wrath dungeons, and do you think they'll ever change this? It's really easy to grind endgame dungeons for the current expansion's rep, but on alts, once you move past previous expansions' content, these rep grinds become more difficult if not impossible.
HappyTreeDance Jul 7th 2011 11:25AM
You can buy commendation badges for those factions for 16 justice points from vendors in Dalaran.. It's super easy to grind up your rep that way. It's how I got one of my alts to exalted to WA for the drake once he got to 85.
puffcake Jul 7th 2011 12:09PM
See, this is why I come here. I had no idea about this...yet another reason to grind those cata dungeons (besides heirlooms). Thanks!
scherbaddie Jul 7th 2011 7:54PM
does soloing a wrath heroic while wearing the tabard get you any rep?
puffcake Jul 8th 2011 11:20AM
As far as I know, you still get rep in Wrath dungeons for Wrath factions, problem is, if you're unable to solo them like me (mage, made of paper), this is impractical.
HappyTreeDance Jul 7th 2011 11:24AM
I almost went off on a rant about why concave hooves are much better than the flat ones, but then I remembered this is a WoW blog, not a vinyl toy blog. Take it from someone who works in the toy industry though, those concave feet really are a good thing.
Thank you for answering that Elune/Ysera question. I could have sworn I remembered reading about Ysera being the mother in that book, but I couldn't bring myself to read through it again to actually find the answer.
AudreyR Jul 7th 2011 2:10PM
Malfurion made the observation that Ysera seemed to have an affection for Cenarius like a mother for a son. But, iirc, it was never claimed outright. Just implied.
Anne Stickney Jul 7th 2011 3:50PM
Oh I know they're a good thing. Trust me, I collected many, many ponies. But my first were the very first ones to come out - they were the only ones released that had the flat feet. :)
HappyTreeDance Jul 7th 2011 7:07PM
Heh, I just felt the need to comment because, when trying to explain to one of the factories I work with what I meant by "concave feet" on a toy, I ended up digging up one of my old My Little Ponies to show them! :)
Marshall Jul 7th 2011 11:24AM
Question: So we see how Alysrazor comes about if we do the little "extra" quest from Ysera. Is this how Millagazor, Andrazor, and all their other Firehawk, flaming-bird-with-protodrake-movement brethren and sistren came about as well? Or is it something completely different, and Alysrazor is/was special? I'm guessing Millagazor is special, since it's her (guessing her) eggs from Ragnaros & the Glory of the Firelends Raider achieve.
Or has this not been touched upon just yet?
Ilmyrn Jul 7th 2011 11:27AM
Speaking of Malorne, what's the deal with him? In the Firelands intro questline Malfurion summons him back to the world, essentially resurrecting him, but then when it's time to do dailies and I get that one to chase ghost deer, the NPC is sad because Malorne's dead again.
So what's going on there? Is he dead? Undead? Redead? Mostly dead? If so, what does he have in his pockets? Does he even HAVE pockets?
aerowannabe Jul 7th 2011 1:08PM
Malorne: I'm not dead.
Player: He says he's not dead.
Npc : Yes he is.
Malorne : I'm not.
Player: He isn't.
Npc: Well, he will be soon, he's very ill.
Malorne: I'm getting better.
Npc: No you're not,you'll be stone dead in a moment.
Malorne: I feel happy! I feel happy!