It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine
Yesterday was the last day of the old Azeroth, and being the nostalgia monster I am, I had to explore the old girl one last time.
First things first, I was covertly offered by a guildmate to be taken to a “secret place” that was going away in the Shattering. He wanted to share it with someone one last time. He also wanted to know if a rag smelled like chloroform.
We met in Tanaris and and I hopped on his bike as he rode south and then west, along the coast, towards Silithus. Around the point where Tanaris “ended” he rode up some steep hills and crossed into a sparsely textured expanse. We kept riding west and we reached a chasm and had to parachute/bike jump across. Another journey ensued and another chasm we rocket boots&chute jumped across. There he then MC’d me and used me to somehow get us both up a hill along with Intervene.
A few more minutes later, and one more crazy jump into a severely graphically bugged “Silithus” and we arrived at our destination: some crazy sand waterfalls.
I was supposed to be starting an Undying run, so we couldn’t keep going to what was apparently an uninstanced C’thun room, but just reaching this spot was reward enough for the trek we just took. It kind of encapsulated one of the things I love most about WoW, how it’s this gigantic world with so many nooks and crannies (the dancing troll village, the Ironforge airport, that lone house down the shore in EK, etc.) and so many things off the beaten track.
I can’t wait to explore the world in a whole new way in the saddle of my Argent Hippogryph.
As for the Undying run, only took a little more than an hour, and aside from a scary moment on Kel’Thuzad, it went off without a hitch. I already had the achievement, but I was happy I was able to shepherd 9 more folks to wrapping up the last shot they had at it.
Once that was done, I embarked on my nostalgia tour.
Feralas
I logged onto my hunter, my very first character, and took him and his pet wolf over to Feralas where I first tamed it. The pet he has used ever since (although, granted, I barely ever play him… he hasn’t reached the level cap since originally at 60) is Snarler, the rare black wolf near Camp Mojache.
(This is a dopey story, and I apologize for the sentimentality, but I wanted to share this tale of what this spot in Old Azeroth meant to me.)
In November of 2005, my real-life dog (a black lab/german shepherd mix named Casey) was dying. As a way to immortalize her for me, I wanted to find a comparable wolf for my only character at the time–that hunter–that would always be with him in one form or another. After searching a few sites I found an appropriate wolf, Snarler, who patrolled the woods near the Horde town in Feralas.
I spent the next week intermittently hunting Snarler, hoping to tame it, before it was too late. Finally, at the end of the week, when my patience was about to break, I spotted Snarler trotting around the ruins there. I sprung into actions and quickly began the taming spell. It was nearly complete when suddenly Snarler zipped away. Completely disappeared.
I didn’t do my research, but the mob has a spell called Fade Out which will render it invisible for a few seconds.
Not knowing that, I thought I missed my chance. Suddenly the emotion of everything, how I was about to lose my best friend, came crashing down upon me. Completely lost in the despair, I almost didn’t noticed Snarler running back to me. It had just run off briefly and aggro was bidding it return.
Composing myself, I quickly restarted the tame and soon locked it up. Snarler was mine. I named her Casey, and haven’t swapped her out for another pet since.
The real Casey passed away a week later.
Even though I don’t ever play my hunter, it’s comforting knowing that my now-long-gone best friend is still around, in one form or another. Even if Snarler (at least according to wowhead) doesn’t exist anymore thanks to the Shattering.
Orgrimmar
Back on Rhidach, I continued my tour, eventually ending in Orgrimmar. I was going to say goodbye to Warchief Thrall one last time when, once in Grommash Hold, I remembered that he had already left and Garrosh had formally taken his place. I owe no allegiance to that ill-mannered runt, so forget that act of fealty.
Thunderbluff
The last thing I needed to do before logging off for the last time was say goodbye to Cairne. I’m sure most of you didn’t read The Shattering (none of my guildmates did!) but it details his betrayal and downfall. Sorry if that’s a spoilers, but you’re not going to find out in game because Blizzard likes to hide lore detailed elsewhere, so you’ll have to hear it from me.
Cairne was betrayed and murdered and come when the servers return tonight, he’ll be dead and Baine will be the leader of the Tauren. Being the honorable old bull he is, he deserved some parting respect. The Horde will need good people like him in the dark days to come.
With that last item ticked off my list, I logged off content I had properly said my goodbyes. It’ll be weird–very weird–logging into a brave new world, so completely different from what has been a home away from home for 6 years now. I’m not sure I’m completely ready for it. But we shall see.
22 Comments to “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine”
Leave a Reply
Armory Feed
@hazmacewillraid
23 November 2010 at 12:11 pm #
Hey, I read The Shattering! Jerk. Also, Ulkjen “kinda read it” because I gave him short summaries of what was going on pretty much every day while I was reading it.
That’s a really sweet story about your dog, man, and I’m sorry for your loss. At least now you have a virtual Casey to visit from time to time when the life of a cosmopolitan tankadin gets to be a bit dull!
@Anafielle
23 November 2010 at 12:20 pm #
You put so much thought into your last night on wow… I just leveled my priest and dealt with my bank alt. Boring!!
Man, I’m with you. We did our Monday night Yogg0, got our last Mimi’s Head, and then I logged out to read a book.
No sentimentality here.
Cataclysm can’t arrive soon enough.
Yeah, I helped my partner with a few fishing achievements, then sat outside Thunder Bluff ganking the few Alliance attempting to sit at our pilgrim table. Good times.
@resonate1794
23 November 2010 at 12:21 pm #
I read The Shattering as well (though I’m a big lore nerd). I will savor the moment where I’m assuming we’ll eventually get to kill Magatha.
Resonate’s last blog ..Out With the Old
@Rhidach
23 November 2010 at 1:48 pm #
She better be a 5man boss somewhere. Maybe in one of the Razorfen dungeons.
She’s gotta pay.
I did something similar, bringing my rarely played Dwarf Rogue to say good bye to Magni Bronzebeard. Unfortunately I completely forgot about the Pilgrim’s Bounty quest and was turned into a turkey numerous times on my way there…
(And for those who haven’t read the Shattering I guess I’ll spoil it for you, but Magni turns into a giant diamond in old Ironforge after reading the Ulduar tablet that you, if you’re Alliance, helped protect at the Stormwind docks in the pre-Cataclysm quest events – so nice job helping to kill Magni!)
@Rhidach
23 November 2010 at 1:48 pm #
Unfortunately I completely forgot about the Pilgrim’s Bounty quest and was turned into a turkey numerous times on my way there…
Ha!
Actually, with Magni, I believe it was something along the lines of becoming more then what he was. Not too sure but it was supposed to take him to a higher level with him being a dwarf and all that.
My understanding was that he believed the instructions on the tablet would allow him to communicate with Azeroth, saying something along the lines of “Becoming part of the world”. It was literal, however, and he was either encased or replaced by diamonds.
Killed hakkar one last time (well, 2 last times, my DK had never gotten the achievement), went up to the original quel’thalas one last time and took some final screens before it’s completely gone. SHoulda visited cairne, didn’t think about that. Ran the invasion bosses till I got the drops I wanted on my DK and alt-server pally, ran MC even though it’s not going anywhere, and logged out in quel-thalas again, sleeping next to the tower. Not sure where I’ll wake up when I log in at server start, yay adventure!
I had a dog named Casey who died a few years back too. My Casey died due to the tainted Alpo dog food that was going around. That was brutal. It is great that you have that memorial to your old dog.
@Rhidach
23 November 2010 at 1:49 pm #
That sucks Fal :( I didn’t even know there was a tainted Alpo epidemic back then. I’m so sorry for your loss, that must have been painful.
@DPShaw3
23 November 2010 at 1:40 pm #
Not quite so epic or bittersweet, we did a nostalgia run to kill Nefarian and strung his head up outside Stormwind to make Deathwing feel at home if he stops by.
@Orthien
23 November 2010 at 2:24 pm #
Such a sweat story about Casey Rhid.
I spent my night in between yours and Ana’s.
I spent alot of time on my bank alt, then logged off my alts in places that wont exist inside SW ie the park and under it.
Also ran MC for the uptenth million time hoping to get TF before the old world went, no luck big supprise there.
One of my firends was talking about the distruction of Alberdine, I had never truly thought of it but that was the first non starter zone I ever saw as well as where I joined my first guild and made my first in game friend.
Sad to see so many places gone for good.
But still the future is looking good for WoW.
Orthien’s last blog ..Kinect or Move
For all those that got on last night, I’m glad for ya! I had a sister that needed the computer for the night and I ended up sitting at a garage all night getting an oil change >.>
I read The Shattering, and enjoyed it.
I actually started reading it, caught a reference to Stormrage on the first page or so, and forced myself to read that first. Knaak’s writing is so bad. So, so bad. It made Christie Golden’s work seem amazing in comparison though.
My last night in old Azeroth I did something I’d put off for pretty much as long as possible, Wrathgate and the battle for Undercity. Only reason I never did them was because I don’t actually play that much and always had more important things to do. I must say they were amazing. I finished the battle about two hours before the server went down and then just logged on the zep stand where it ported me out. Brought a tear to my eye as I looked on old org for the last time.
That was an extremely touching story about your pet, Rhidach.
I too am a sucker for nostalgia, unfortunately I had to work, so I didn’t get to log in and visit my favorite old world places, but I did do something along those lines last week. I took my Gnome Mage and glitched her into Old Ironforge (I’m not sure if this is changing or going away in the expansion, although I doubt it since that’s where Magni is entombed). I also ran around the Stonewrought Dam in Loch Modan, explored the Badlands, and did some more general exploring.
That’s a sweet story about your dog, Rhidach. I’m glad you still have the “virtual” version!
The Shattering was so crazy! I got really caught up in it. Pretty much no one in my guild has read it either, but I exclaimed with other blog folks. :D
Vidyala’s last blog ..Guide to Getting Withers
Thank you for sharing your story.
A few days ago I left a young Tauren shaman standing guard with Cairne to honour him. Walk with the Earth Mother, old bull, you will be missed.
Wow, intense story about your dog… It’s really impressive that you found a way to keep her spirit alive in the game!
I’m hoping to start in on the WoW books soon (I don’t have much opportunity to read them, since I’m in college). I love books, and I love WoW, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy the novels immensely!
I’ve been really involved in leveling new toons since the patch dropped, and I really have to say that I like the upgrades they’ve made! I do have to say that I find it a bit unrealistic that all the quests for a dungeon are conveniently located at the start of it, but I can’t argue with how much easier it is to get everything done now!
Nehmen’s last blog ..-failcheck- The Turkinator