About the Bloggers: Kelly Aarons
by Kelly Aarons 
Nov 2nd 2011 at 7:00PM
What do you do for WoW Insider?
I use my wacky art skills to draw the WoW Insider's Weekly Webcomic. Safe Passage: The Prologue is the story that's currently running. I'm also the resident Photoshop wizard when someone ... needs something Photoshopped, I suppose.
What's your main?
My main is Cadistra, a female Tauren feral druid. She was my first character that I made on a trial account, and I couldn't be happier. She's also the co-star of my webcomic, World of Warcraft, Eh?
What's the best 5-man instance in the game? What's the best raid?
The best 5-man? A bizarre tie of Halls of Reflection, the new Deadmines, and Oculus. HoR, because when I looked behind me after Arthas had fended off Sylvanas and he started walking after me, I was scared like you wouldn't believe. That steady, unyielding pace, while myself and the rest of my team was frantically slaying the undead ... I will always remember that. DM, because it's genuinely fun, and Oculus, because I enjoyed the dragon mechanics. Also, I adore the voice acting for Ley-Guardian Eregos.
I don't raid, but I love doing old content. My favorite raid is the Temple of Ahn'Quiraj. That place felt epic. Gross, but epic.
What's been your favorite expansion?
Honestly, I would say Wrath of the Lich King. Each expansion has its strengths and weaknesses: Cataclysm was ambitious, and The Burning Crusade was game-changing, but Wrath has (in my opinion) the perfect balance. It has the most cohesive design (visually, musically, lore-wise) and really felt like its own self-contained pocket of Azeroth. While I love Cataclysm, Wrath will always be my favorite.
Horde or Alliance?
For the Horde! But I have no hard feelings against the Alliance. They're cool people.
What's your favorite thing to do in Azeroth?
Explore! I love exploring! I'm the kind of player who can easily spend several hours just poking around the dusty nooks and crannies of the world. I also love questing and generally faffing about and being industrious with crafting.
What's your favorite piece of loot?
The Pillar of Ferocity, from the Battle of Mount Hyjal raid. I fell in love with it so much that it became Cadistra's in-comic weapon.
Coincidentally echoing Matt Walsh, it's my Cenarion War Hippogryph. Reading up on the lore, it's apparently a huge honor for a druid to get their hippogryph, and I worked really hard to get that. It's also very much an in-character mount for Cadi, as she rides it whenever she's on "druid business." My ground mounts are a tie between Anzu, the Raven Lord and my White War Talbuk. Nothing says a powerful druid like taking an invader from the Emerald Dream and making it your mode of transportation.
What's the best way to make gold?
Be diligent with your dailies, and play the Auction House.
What's the #1 thing Blizzard has done great?
Made an amazing game by people who are truly passionate about what they do.
What's the #1 thing Blizzard could do better?
Nothing honestly comes to mind. I'm not a rabid fangirl, but I am very easy to please.
When I'm not playing WoW, I'm...
Working at my full-time job, drinking tea, and drawing. I run the webcomic World of Warcraft, Eh?, which is a webcomic starring Cadistra the Tauren druid and Kissless the Blood Elf paladin. I've had to take a bit of a break, as life didn't allow for comics, but I'm chomping at the bit to get back to it.
I also do a weekly video gaming podcast called Polygamerous with a few other fellow gamers. It records every Monday at 8:30 p.m. Pacific.
What accomplishments are you most proud of in game?
There are a few achievements I'm proud of, but mostly I'm just proud of my amazing guild! Although I am sad that I haven't yet gotten Stood in the Fire. Come to think of it, I haven't even seen Deathwing torch a zone yet! Is he avoiding me?
Filed under: About the Bloggers
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Khoonda Nov 2nd 2011 7:18PM
But what about the most important question!!!
...is she available?
What! a girl who draws amazing art. Knows Warcraft lore and rocks a Tauren, whats not to like?
Olania Nov 2nd 2011 7:39PM
And from the one or two pictures I've seen of her, she's pretty darn attractive, too. ;)
Eirik Nov 2nd 2011 7:44PM
She's just drawn that way...
Khoonda Nov 2nd 2011 9:25PM
*pictures tauren dressed as Jessica Rabbit*
sorry what were we talking about?
Cadychan Nov 3rd 2011 2:50AM
Ahhhhh I don't know how to answer that...! 8D
Thank you for your....curiosity, though! XD
Dreyja Nov 3rd 2011 3:42AM
Let's face it, they get points for referencing a cartoon Babe, yes? ;)
Pyromelter Nov 3rd 2011 4:49AM
Hey Kelly, I wanted to give you a piece of advice regarding people asking about your relationship status.
"Ahhhhh I don't know how to answer that...!"
There are 2 very easy ways to be about a question of "are you available" and you don't want to give any direct answer:
1. "It's why there is an 'it's complicated' option on facebook for the relationship status." Honestly this is a very funny and awesome option, and probably fits for like 99% of us who aren't completely married, so you can always default to this. (Shout out to Fox for this idea, noted on his own about the bloggers.)
2. "I'm happily involved with someone right now, but thank you for the interest!" - really, this works for anyone, guy or girl, whether you are in a relationship or not.
Facebook makes our lives so damn complicated. I love being in touch with people, but I've seen (and unfortunately been a part of) some reedonkulous drama on there, so just be careful out there.
---------
Here's a tip for the guys who might be interested in meeting girls like Kelly: Get involved in their online "scene." You are never, ever, ever going to have a shot at a talented chick like this if you're publicly blasting it on an open, public forum. Facebook, twitter, IM's, PM's, deviant art, whatever art and/or creative sites they are on, music-related sites, things like that. Respond to the things that they are doing, see if you can draw them into your interests a bit, and try to strike up some cool conversation. Your goal at first should not be to try to pick her up like at a bar. It should be to get to know her. I mean, honestly, Kelly seems like a very friendly, fun, and talented chick, but if you live in like Texas are something, are you gonna fly 2500 miles to see her if you don't even know her? You want to get to know a person online, and then if you get a connection, try to move that into a phone/voice conversation, and maybe even a video call.
And here's the neat thing about doing all that: If you do do that, you'll know she's available, because people in solid relationships aren't supposed to do things like that. You'll figure out right away if she's with someone, it's usually very obvious (either through pictures or social updates about what they are doing and where they are going). Of course, protect yourself, there's still a lot of crazies out there, but cripes' sakes, if you're interested in a girl, go try to get to know her a little bit and then work in the relationship status.
Pyromelter Nov 3rd 2011 4:50AM
dammit sorry for the wall of text, i should have split that in 2 (wtb preview function cuz i know i can get long-winded sometimes :/)
Khoonda Nov 3rd 2011 1:46PM
hey if you want something epic you gotta take a chance and roll your dice haha
Daeolt Nov 2nd 2011 7:29PM
I do believe Kissless is an actual person, like Cadi. just an ingame name.
Zeroum Nov 2nd 2011 7:32PM
Often and recurringly I wish she was hired to be the next WoW Character Designer.
Her drawings of WoW characters are better than anything I've seen, including in-game models, by far.
Plus she can make a female tauren look really sexy.
Quark1020 Nov 3rd 2011 6:58PM
While that would be awsome, if she did start working for Blizzard she'd have to stop drawing comics and that.....would break my heart :(
Its what happened with the Flintlock comics.
Olania Nov 2nd 2011 7:41PM
Kissless is the character of someone she knows. She has a Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/#!/Kissless
Hal Nov 2nd 2011 7:44PM
I'm glad I'm not the only person who liked both Halls of Reflection and Oculus. I thought the Frozen Halls dungeons were exactly what a dungeon should be: Fun, challenging, and stuffed so full of lore moments that your nerd pouch bursts with immersion.
I'm a sucker for vehicle battles, too, so I loved Oculus. But I also found the aesthetics of the Nexus/Oculus/Eye of Eternity instances to be really neat.
Shrikesnest Nov 3rd 2011 9:30AM
I'd get that looked at. My nerd pouch burst with immersion once. Turns out, they had to remove my appendix.
Tri Nov 3rd 2011 11:58AM
I felt the same when I did my first HoR run. I was genuinely scared, running for my life from the Lich King. Really nice, those 3 dungeons. And now they're just useless. I don't think anyone ever do them anymore :(
MacAndy Nov 2nd 2011 7:45PM
More than her occasional sensuality, I admire the sense of innocence that Ms Aarons puts into Cadi and a few of the other characters.
Well played, ma'am, well played.
MacAndy Nov 2nd 2011 7:48PM
bah. wtb editing features.
innocence of spirit: child-like wonder and fascination Just look at the header picture, it gives me the warm fuzzies.
ShadeX9 Nov 2nd 2011 7:46PM
Ohhh this is why she hasn't been doing her comic.
Wulf Nov 2nd 2011 7:58PM
Kelly rox! Seriously. This is one classy and fun lady. Spent a couple hours chatting with her in the badge/goodiebag line at BlizzCon '10. Very sweet, very short (sorry!) and very bubbly.