Breakfast Topic: What monsters from the past do you remember fondly?
by Kelly Martinez 
Jul 17th 2011 at 8:00AM
Once upon a time, a Forsaken warlock and her rogue companion traveled from Tirisfal Glades into the dark forests of Silverpine. The rogue had told the warlock tales of Shadowfang Keep and the treasures she might find there. He also warned her about the creatures prowling Pyrewood Village. "And watch out for Sons of Arugal," he told her. "They patrol Silverpine, and they will kill us!"
The warlock heeded this warning and was very careful as she moved through the forests. She kept to the road as much as possible and always looked around before stopping to pick an herb. She was becoming quite the herbalist and had recently learned to identify Mageroyal. Seeing it for the first time in the wild excited her so much that she dashed over to pluck a sample from the weeds around it -- and forgot to look around first!
"How did I die from picking Mageroyal?" she cried out in anguish.
"Son of Arugal got you!" the rogue replied with a devilish chuckle.
I was afraid of Silverpine after that. Even at level 80, I was looking out for Son of Arugal when I went through there. Hogger has never killed me, but Son of Arugal put the fear of worgen in me! Still, I was sad to take my first steps in Silverpine after Cataclysm hit and realize I would never bend down to pick Mageroyal just as Son of Arugal burst from the shadows again. Silverpine felt too safe.
I ran into Lost Son of Arugal a few nights ago. I /cheered at him before killing him and felt a warm glow in my heart. I'll still have to watch my back in Silverpine! He might still get me!
What have you found that brings back fond memories of pre-Cataclysm Azeroth?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
james_j_murphy Jul 17th 2011 8:26AM
Stitches from Duskwood. I remember as a new WoW player entering Duskwood for the first time and feeling palpable sense of dread. The eerie ambient sounds, the mist, the darkness, the undead and spiders and worgen combined to ensure my poor pally stayed as close to the middle of the road as was possible.
In the midst of all this creepiness Darkshire was a safehaven, guarded by the stalwart Night Watch. It was the only place in the entire zone that my nooby self felt safe. Imagine, then, my terror at hearing the crier tell the citizens to take up arms as an abomination approached. Then to see this stitched-up nightmare wander into town and decimate my feelings of security along with half the town's populace.
I made sure to go back and kill Stitches when I was able but to this day he still brings back memories both frightening and nostalgic (remembering how cool it felt before heirlooms made my fear of same-level mobs evaporate).
Miz Jul 17th 2011 8:48AM
I can't help but wonder: if you miss the challenge and excitement that leveling without heirlooms provided... why don't you just take them off?
Kolumbus Jul 17th 2011 10:29AM
This! After braving Duskwood's creep factor once on my first Alliance toon all the rest were sent to quest in Hillsbrad or the Wetlands. I didn't care how long it took me to walk there.
Gimmlette Jul 17th 2011 11:57AM
Oh man! I loved that whole Stitches quest chain. Yeah it was a pita to have to run (and back then we didn't have mounts at level 30) back and forth from Darkshire to Ravenwood but the end result was so worth it. Every time I would be in Duskwood and would hear the call of a monster on the road, I had to go kill him.
You can add Mor'Ladim and the bride to monsters I miss. Mor'Ladim was my first encounter with an elite. (Hogger wasn't elite. He was just nasty.) He'd aggro you half the cemetery away. I never felt more satisfaction than when I solo'd him.
And the bride quest was another in that area that was just fun for all the lore and the mechanics of the fight. Outside of Deadmines, I think it was the first time I had to actually get a group of people to take down a boss. Remember the adds she called? And you had to make sure the area around her was clear. Wolves and undead sometimes wandered too close to the aggro range.
Good times.
Chetti Jul 17th 2011 12:36PM
I have to agree, I loved the Stitches chain. I remember dying alot because of him (something not tracked in the statistics tab, though Hogger is/was.. and I never died because of him). But every time I saw the message come up, if I was in the area, I'd run to go help.
Mor'Ladim got his as well. So many times he killed me and I hadn't even realized I'd gotten within range of him.
Many months later, the ability to solo both of them was just nice. Not super special (out-leveling them by a lot and killing them isn't accomplishment), but it was good payback.
Kittens Jul 17th 2011 1:02PM
Somehow, I once managed to log in right on top of Stitches head as he was making his way to Darkshire..
My poor confused lowbie warlock managed to fire off one spell before she was killed, and then the crowd that apparently had gathered to kill Stitches finished him off. After corpse running back, I proudly looted Stitches' Femur, thinking it was some very rare special item ^_^
Knob Jul 17th 2011 8:27AM
Son of Arugal > Stitches!
Spectrum Jul 17th 2011 8:29AM
Mor'Ladim in Duskwood.
Always seemed to come out of nowhere to kick my ass, but the questline to kill him made me feel sorry for him in a way.
That & the whole Pamela thing in vanilla EPL.
Chrior Jul 17th 2011 8:53AM
Same here, I only lvled alliance a few months before Cata came out but still, Mor'ladim was an awesome experience and I felt good and sorry at the same time when I killed him.
Tabasa Jul 17th 2011 9:22AM
We could always tell in guild chat when someone had gotten around to questing in Raven Hill cemetery because of the sudden explosion of profanity that would happen every 10 minutes when Mor'Ladim killed them again.
Narshe Jul 17th 2011 8:32AM
Had trouble reading through this. Anyways, I remember the first time going into Ashenvale on my Troll Mage, and being stunned at the bright colors and awesome music. I was so used to seeing the deserts of Durator, The Barrens and Stonetalon, that I didnt even know the game had these "pretty" zones.
After looking around, on foot, I ran into one of those elite Ancient Protectors (I think thats what there were called, the big walking trees), and since it was elite it MUST drop good loot, right? After getting my butt kicked, I got a friend to help me take it down, but was disappointed that he didnt drop anything.
That was my first encounter with an elite, and I still remember it.
ummeiko Jul 17th 2011 8:33AM
I always loved checking on the Dragons of Nightmare. I seldom actually fought them, but their lore fascinated me and I loved their designs. I remember one night on my then-little hunter, I spent hours just taking screenshots with eagle eye. I lost that hard drive a couple years ago, which makes me sad.
I miss those guys, and wish their fates didn't end up the way they did. I'd have liked to see more of them.
Hob Jul 17th 2011 11:08AM
Seradane, Dream Bough, and Bough Shadow. /shudder
You wander in to explore, all wide-eyed and full of wonder. And then an army of dragonkin descend upon you, racing to see who will be the first to one-shot you.
It's kind of sad that Seradane is completely abandoned these days. (Although it was nice to fully explore the ruins there...)
Strawder Jul 17th 2011 11:58AM
I miss the World Dragons terribly......
Gimmlette Jul 17th 2011 12:01PM
Not to mention the rare loot they dropped and the fight mechanics.
We used to, as a guild, go hunting for them once a month. Ysondre was the easiest. Taerer next. Then it was a toss-up between Lethon and Emeriss. I think Emeriss was harder than Lethon because he turned those who died into mushrooms which you had to avoid.
I think there should have been an achievement for killing all four of them. I miss them, too.
Cadychan Jul 17th 2011 1:51PM
I remember when I was about level 80 (quite under-geared at this point) I was doing some exploring with my troll mage friend. I was over at her house, so we were playing WoW literally side-by-side. I'm a big lore nerd, so we were in Feralas, and I was telling her about the Dragons of the Emerald Nightmare, and how they sometimes spawn at these portals. She gleefully suggested we check them out, and lo and behold - Emeriss the green dragon was there, chillin' out in front of the portal.
Her boyfriend came home from work at that point, and goaded us into attacking it. I was -terrified.- Needless to say, a feral druid (cat) and an arcane mage were quickly turned into paste. I still remember my heart beating quickly and my stomach tightening in dread when I saw that dragon. >_
Skytotem Jul 17th 2011 8:45AM
Hmmm... I'd have to say I miss the various mobs that you used to kill for the Shaman at Taurajo.
Washte Pawne, Lakota'mani, and Owatanka.
It made me feel like my character was learning and growing.
Zayd Jul 17th 2011 9:05AM
Been so long since I levelled an aliance toon, is Hogger still wondering around?
Other than him it would have to be good ol' Fel Reaver, you know that episode of the Simpsons that pays homage to Cape Fear? You remember that sound Side Show Bob makes when he keeps walking into the rakes?
That's the sound I made very time I let Fel sneak up and squish me.
Philster043 Jul 17th 2011 9:08AM
Yeah, Hogger's still around, and now has a little bit expanded story after you defeat him (he's taken to Stormwind's Stockades where you'll eventually fight him again, if you choose to.)
razion Jul 17th 2011 9:09AM
Hogger is now a boss in the Stockades. :3