Monday 27 June 2011

Cataclysm Journal 25!

The fire spreads..


Still overwhelmed with things to do, places to see and enemies to kill. Feignheart and myself come across our, possibly, long lost relation. While pondering the sights of Stormwind we came across another fellow Worgen Hunter with a very distinctive name - "FEIGNdead". Now who knows, there may be more of us! Anyway, on with the show..

Mulgore
While on our search for the next quest for adventure, we once again met ourselves glancing at the good'old Heroes Board! It was at this point that we were informed of another threat arising in a distant land. Very brief quest description - [Hero's Call: Mount Hyjal]. However there was a great battle being waged in the far reaches of Mount Hyjal. Something about Deathwing and his army of minions making an assault against the 'World Tree' and causing complete devastation throughout.

Though, before heading directly to the battle at hand, we were sent through a portal within Stormwind Keep to the Druid haven of Moonglade. This tranquil mini-zone, filled with the magic of the Night Elves in all there natural and spiritual glory seemed a world apart from the chaos and destruction. Apparently our stay was to be short-lived as we were soon enough given word about a being of great power, known to most as.. Ragnoros. Almost instantly we were sent swooping off on the back of a dragon with all due speed, to Mount Hyjal.

Nordrassil
Upon gliding swiftly into the zone, we come to see that our destination was nothing but a raging inferno. Then finding ourselves in the very centre of the chaos, of which we merely escaped by the skins of our teeth. Coming into contact, very close contact, with Deathwing the Destroyer and his newly reborn elemental fire lord Ragnoros. After a panic driven flee, we took haste and made our way to Nordrassil, The World Tree, to alert and warn the ally forces of the land.

Passing into the safety of the World Tree and weaving in between its many winding roots, we felt greeted with a breath of life and vitality. A feeling that all we knew was at stake, but being in the presence of such a wonder really belittled the situation for a short period. This was to be a very short period, for we were soon given our objectives. Our mission in the zone, despite a number of various quests, was simple. Protect the world tree at all costs. No matter how unclear it's very importance actually was to us.


























There is no mercy in the path of fire



























Carrying on. With this being a slightly lower level zone, the mobs did prove to go down quite easily. Though as always, I remained on guard and prepared for anything which could come our way. Especially with the ongoing attacks from the Twilights Hammer and enraging elementals. However this allowed us to spend more time focusing on our surroundings and really taking in/appreciating the zone.

Ragnoros, the Lord of Fire
After some sniffing around we came across a very curious Gnome and his partner. They instructed us to take their underground transport machine, to a place called Blackrock Mountain. Apparently there was suspicion around the activities of particular elementals within the mountain, of which they assumed the involvement of Ragnoros himself. Into the Caverns of Blackrock we go. Existing in what seemed to be a relatively active volcano, this short and sweet instance leads us in pursuit of an ally who seems to have gone on a 'Hulk-like' rampage ahead of us. Towards the end, and after a parade of bosses, we find that the Twilights Hammer have been working dark and powerful magic to transform and create monstrosities from those they have captured, to empower themselves.

Back to the fight, and we really get right into this war against the Twilight. We are rested with the great responsibility of rallying the ancients and demi-gods from their eternal slumber in the Emerald Dream, to join us in the defence of the world tree and to secure the fate of Azeroth. This also led Feignheart and myself to join and infiltrate the ranks of the Twilight Hammer to cause complete disruption and unveil there foul plans. Later going head-to-head with Ragnoros, aiding the ancients, and pushing him back into the firelands.. For now..

ACHIEVEMENT GALORE!

[Explore Hyjal]
[Beware of the 'Unbeatable?' Pterodactyl]
[Loremaster of Cataclysm]
[Coming Down The Mountain]
[2000 Quests Completed]

Along our travels through Mt.Hyjal, we have rescued a bundle of bunnies and squirrels from the vast fires of the land, gained a new [Blue Mini Jouster] Companion and seemingly misplaced (Vendored) Feignhearts melee weapon. The world is at a peak for adventurers and it is down to us to go and chase them...


Make sure to keep an eye open for the next instalment of Cataclysm Journals!

 
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- Jamin



Rage Against the Firelands (4.2) Trailer.



Monday 20 June 2011

Cataclysm Journal 24!

Time to get stuck in..

What lies within the mountains..
The moment has come to pick up the pace. Less dithering around. However, where to begin? Seems a taste for blood in Feignhearts mouth, made that very decision for us. The lust for battle was brewing deep down. To the Gulch...


The Objective
A raging fire to join the battle, against the horde, had really jumped upon us all of a sudden. Especially since our clash within the Twilight Highlands. So without sparing a breath, and with very little PVP experience, we signed up at our first opportunity.

We were assigned to Warsong Gulch! A simple game of Capture The Flag, to get the blood pumping, was described to us. That was exactly what we got. However, that didn't mean it was straight forward. Upon flooding from the gates, signalling the start of the game, and realising ground mounts were the only option, the ringing of 'For The Alliance' echoed throughout, with a faint monstrosity of roars from the distance opposite us. Being novices we decided to keep up with the pack and rush towards the enemy base, narrowly avoiding the Horde as they returned the favour. Though not even half way across the map I found myself stunned (Sapped), with the rest of the group steam-rolling ahead. This is where it got real. Dead in seconds. With an undead rogue showing himself, and merely sharing a few second to cut me down to size. Battle On!


Silverwing Hold
Warsong Lumber Mill










The 'drums of war' really did put out the feeling for battle when preparing and charging into the midst of battle. The Spiderman soundtrack did come to mind when roaming the small area. I say small, but that didn't prevent large scale combat taking place. Anyway, after a few games we decided to step out and rethink. The harsh reality was we we're nowhere near prepared for what was out there. Be it a combination of our experience, skill, and armoury. We needed to put our game faces on if we could even consider becoming a viable force in the field of battle. Though that wasn't preventing us from picking up an achievement or two - [Damage Control] and quenching our thirst for battle, which can only be seen as temporary.


The path of origination lay before us

Now, time to dip our feet in some more instances! Though, again we find that we are asking ourself the same question; Where to begin? That's when we remembered seeing the 'Random Dungeon Finder' feature, which we had yet to use. This included a display of rewards for doing so, including a collection of [Justice Points] and a small pot of gold. So what better option?! To add, I was sure we were to find a particular use for these Justice Points.

From within the halls
Setting the difficulty to normal, with gear again forming a big factor and an urge to first get into the groove before throwing ourselves in the deep end, we joined to queue. Soon enough we we're presented with our group, which was destined for.. The Halls of Origination. Although we had already ventured into it's depths previously on our journey through Uldum, we prepared for anything. Heck, who wouldn't mind another meeting with the great Brann Bronzebeard right?


Sadly, with no hunter drops, we made our way back to the city of Stormwind. That is when we passed over the Dwarven District and gazed into a rather peculiar tunnel, which we hadn't spotted thus far. With our usual level of curiosity, this lead us forward and onwards to explore. We found ourselves passing through and into, what seemed to be, an underground railway station. That of Gnomish design. Welcome to the Deeprun Tram.

The World of Underground Railway
(Is the Tetris in the background..)


Cluck.. Rattle.. Boshh! Along came a train. Of which we made it a train to catch. Where it would take us, was unknown. However, the journey was rather quite interesting. Passing along a deep route and through what seemed to be an underwater passageway, which was a spectacle in itself, we awaited our destination. Exiting at the other end, which shone a mirror image of where we left off, we made our way out. That is where the similarity ended. Upon walking into the open, we knew we were no longer in Stormwind. We had arrived in Ironforge. So, this meant that we had actually been beneath the Great Sea aboard our train carriage! Anyway, with our first steps in the Dwarven bastion of the mountains, exploration proceeded:


































Based around a molten forge of lava and divided into it's respective sections, alike Stormwind and Darnassus, this city truly does justice to represent all that the Dwarfs are about. Mean, it has it's own museum!


Now, that bring's us to a close on this entry,

As always, until next time..

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- Jamin



The horrors of the underground!

Thursday 9 June 2011

Cataclysm Journal 23!

The hills have eyes...

Corruption Runs Deep...

With the world now wide open to our thirsty adventurer, Feignheart, we begin with a trip back to Stormwind to regain our strength and pick up our next scented trail for exploration. At first we couldn't for the life of us, find a starting place. However, that was until we made way through the city and up into Stormwind Keep. This found us receiving a quest, entitled - [My Son, The Prince], from the king, Varian Wrynn himself. Our mission was simple. Known for our past triumphs, we we're given the honour of taking the king's own son, Anduin Wrynn, under our wing, becoming a mentor as such, to meet the people of the city and bolster morals. Though with a highly curious, and daringly suspicious mind, the young prince had other ideas. Following a path of inner corruption we found ourselves uncovering many well kept and threatening secrets to the city and all it's people. Which all results in the revelation of The Twilights Hammer. These happen to be part of a vile death cult and workers for Deathwings aid. A very compelling questline which sees us on our way to the source of the chaos - The Twilight Highlands.

The Horde Attack
Fly.. Soar.. Drop.. Crash.. Welcome to the Twilight Highlands! After such a grand entry to the zone, we quite literally find ourselves right in the action. Stuck in a heavy conflict between the Horde and the Alliance, we are tasked with pushing back the ongoing attacks and to retake vital ground. There also seems to be a small Naga influence in the area, though are quite rapidly extinguished. Especially with Feignheart throwing around 30k Killshots! Once we have established our footing, we are met by the leaders of the main Alliance influence in the zone. The ale loving Wildhammer Clan. These Dwarfs, which are nothing short of concrete, are a force to be reckoned with. Not to mention their hobbit-like settlements spread out through the zone.

This rich woodland based landscape has a very unique feel to it. With it's bounding hills and varied settings, nothing quite matches it. Attention to detail while in this zone is a must. Though however you look at it, there are some brilliant shots just waiting to be admired. A personal Favourite.
























(Click to Enlarge)
























What cropped up as a nice surprise while travelling through this zone, was the appearance of yet another gladiator ring. This time named 'The Crucible of Carnage'. Run by the same Goblin and Troll folk from Zul'Drak, you following the similar quest structure to kill every challenger you are put up against. Group is a must! Other high priority quests which we came across such as [Death Worthy of a Dragonmaw], which involved defeating 'Garosh the Pant Stealer' all increased the terror factor of the highlands. We also became involved in the organisation of a Dwarf wedding, with a real unexpected turn-out. This included constructing a song to be sung at the ceremony, while walking the bride, 'Fanny', down the isle.


 Battling the Twilight
While we ventured across the land, we once again came into contact with the Red Dragonflight once. Meeting with Queen Alexstrasza after an intense and blood-pumping battle. This leads to formulating a plan to bring an end to Deathwing himself. All of which puts you right in front of the action with a long line of cinematics to show the unravelling of the Dragonflights fight against the Destroyer. Though, as expected, none of this brought down the mighty tyrant as he went on to continue his reign of chaos. However, other than a mighty battle between the two, I will keep spoilers to a minimum for any who have yet to experience the display. Also, we came across another culprit in the destruction. This happens to be a schizophrenic two-headed monstrosity named Cho'Gall.









Anyway, after a roller coaster ride through a mine, becoming [King of The Mountain] and being [Consumed by Nightmares], it's time for Feighnheart and myself to depart and construct our next move.


Until next time, 

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- Jamin

WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!