Swiftrunner Stables (Image Heavy)
Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2016 8:24 pm
A few other people have been making stables threads so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and show off all the friends Vare's made over the years I'm also due for a small clear-out so hopefuly this will help me decide who I should keep and who I should return to the wild.
RP Pets
Argorok
This guy will never be let go. RP and in-game Arg never leaves Vare's side even when another pet is present. Having stumbled across an orphaned dragonhawk egg after a lynx raid Vare hatched and raised Argorok all the way to his current vain and loyal self. These two could practically be called brothers as opposed to master and pet. He does often get the pair of them into trouble, or at least uncomfortable situations in the view of his elven partner, by demanding attention from anyone who they pass by. This usually includes flying directly at said passer-by or with his favourite trick of hanging by a chest scale from Varethyn's collar and displaying his wings. Not good for my socially awkward penguin blood elf.
-While not Vare's original starting 'hawk (he came about long before starter pets were a thing) Argorok was definitely his first ever pet. At the time I messed up his name (Argaroc) and even abandoned him at one point only to feel a deep sense of regret, so I went back and tamed another (and named him properly too!). They've been inseparable ever since. Even when I'm switching out other pets or simply moving them around Arg never leaves his place in first pet slot. Ever. I don't think he's ever seen the inside of the stables.
Tala
Tala comes and goes but she will always remain faithful to her master. Rescued after being mistreated by orcs to become a battle-worg she allowed Varethyn, and only Varethyn except in dire circumstances, to ride her. She wasn't that young when they first met as it was and as the years went by she lost fur and gained scars. No longer Vare's go-to mount this giant wolf will continue to follow him wherever he goes.
-I bumped into Barnabus while questing in ye olde Badlands and decided there and then to tame instead of kill him, now her. I'm not quite sure where the idea that she was Vare's mount came from especially since, at the time, it was difficult to gain rep with any other faction than your own race's. Yet that indeed came to be and eventually was half-mirrored in-game with a timber worg, since there were no longer red riding worgs at the time. Even though she's got an updated look I plan to keep both versions of her for sentimental reasons.
Malladus
Malladus is an absolute glutton. Drawn to Varethyn's camp one night by the scent of cooking meat he has since followed the elf out of his original stomping grounds in hopes of further food. Vare still doesn't quite understand how this came to be and in fact finds the devilsaur to be far more of a burden than anything else. He now believes Mal's egg was damaged before he hatched as there is no other reason for the lizard's behaviour. Completely non-aggressive unless threatened Malladus would sooner nuzzle a foe to death than eat or crush them. RP-wise Vare had to invest in a glyph of Lesser Proportion to make him a bit more manageable.
-This guy was in fact an accident. I was looking for Loque'nahak at the time while half-watching out for King Krush for someone who had been camping him for a good while. He spawned in front of me but sadly the person looking to tame him was offline. I felt bad especially as there were other hunters about and I had the means to tame him (disposable core hound, ancient hysteria and haste pots. He was a bugger to tame at current content!) so I went and grabbed him. And directly after the person looking logged in and asked if Krush had been seen. To this day I feel awful about it. I since went to get a Zandalari devilsaur from Isle of Giants as I felt that colouration suits Vare a bit better but I'm tempted to let it go. No way I'm letting go of Krush though.
Non-RP Pets
Akira
When I found out stags were tameable and that gazelle were being included in the family I immediately planned one to be part of Vare's stables. Of all the stags gazelle just seemed -right- for him and even though I've since gotten two other stags Akira is still my favourite of the three.
Chica
Cookies if you know the reference! I fell in love with terroclaws since Ji-Kun, farming said boss bird as soon as I was able to solo her in order to get Vare's now go-to flying mount. While the red one suits him more I decided to go with the yellow skin initially purely for the reference but have since grown to love her. Even more so now that it's beneficial to have a carrion bird pet as survival.
Kinsy
Named after one of TygerDarkstorm's RP characters. Kinsy is a young orc huntress who seemed to take a quick liking to the elf, sharing fears and playing together. Her pet was a green old-world crocolisk from Durotar and when I got the green spiked crocolisk in the Random Pet Challenge (I believe) the name just seemed to fit.
Myst
I have a strong connection with this cat even though I rarely have her out. Way back in Burning Crusade when Vare was a female named Lakita I made the run to Darkshore as soon as I was level 22 in order to tame a ghost saber. Back then it was a relative challenge for a Hordie to get one. I can't remember how long it took to get one to spawn but that doesn't matter. While I considered letting her go once before Myst has remained in Vare's stables since.
Nizhoni
A huge surprise love. Even though the woolly kodo is a common spawn in Desolace I decided I needed to find Arra'chea in Mulgore, remembering how she used to be a quest mob way back when. Another hunter was doing the same thing which disappointed me but they soon left and the kodo in question spawned directly after. It was meant to be and I can't believe just how close the two have become. Nizzie has become the star of raids in which I decide to use her and even now I get questions about her.
Taika
I wasn't sure how I felt about mana wyrms as pets and tamed this one as a test. Amazingly I came to like them and Taika here often comes out whenever it's better to have a small pet. Eventually she's going to shed her skin and update to the black-magenta greater wyrm (I'm very nearly revered with Darkfallen and with the weekly bonus it shouldn't take too much longer).
Thana
A massive surprise pet for Vare indeed especially if you know his backstory. In short he's kinemortophobic, meaning he's afraid of the undead, gained from when the Scourge invaded Quel'Thalas. So seeing Vare with an undead-looking pet is something no one would normally consider. Yet here he is. I had a daydream about a plague hawk following him around and found myself going out to tame Alitus in Hillsbrad. It wasn't until he heard her mournful cries as he tried to sleep that he understood that dead or not she was still an eagle and possibly someone's lost pet. He took her in out of guilt and has formed a tentative bond with her.
Tirrae
Anyone who read the WoW RP Fury of the Twilight Cult here on Petopia will know who this is. For those who don't, she's an elementally-infused warp stalker with power over the earth. Originally part of the Cult responsible for infusing animals with elemental powers she ended up making friends with the team and decided to join them. I enjoyed the RP so much that I had to go tame her in-game.
BONUS
The spot I decided to take my screenshots at featured a rather persistent moose. What you guys can't see is the little photo-bomber poking his head in right as I'm making a shot. As such I think this is one of the funnier ones.
Faron
Another FotTC character, this time it's LupisDarkmoon's electromancer-turned-wolf Faron. An otherwise successful experiment interrupted and ruined left Faron trapped in the body of a wolf along with his lightning magic as a troll hunter attempted to tame him. Since he was still technically a person Faron was able to overpower and essentially "tame" the hunter instead, using him as a puppet and to speak for him. He ended up joining the Twilight Cult to help them in their ways in draining mages of magic and infusing animals with it. As with Tirrae I decided I needed an in-game Faron as well. Don't worry - it's Faron only in name. Vare's mind is still very much his own!
-In-game I had every intention of camping Skoll but wasn't the right level to get him. As soon as I was level 80 I went to Storm Peaks but at the time had wanted to quest, leaving the camping for when I'd finished SP since I already had Arcturis (details later). Skoll had other plans. While I was flying to my next quest I happened upon him alive, happy and untamed at his point nearby to Brunhildar Village. Since I wasn't expecting him I was forced to abandon Butch the black devilsaur I had with me at the time. Another hunter landed next to me as soon as the tame finished.
Ganymede
Apologies for the night shot here. I wanted to get shots of everyone before I went out and kinda sorta ran out of time. Whoops. Might retake at some point. Ganymede aka Karoma is a similar tale to Skoll except I had the foresight to keep an open pet slot. And just as well as, once again, I stumbled into her while I was questing around the area east of Bloodgulch. Alive, happy and untamed, once again waiting for me to nab her.
Gara
(Most) Every BM had to follow the story of Gara. I'm not nearly as connected to her as most of my other spirit beasts but the story was certainly worth doing. I wish I had more to say but I simply don't know what else there is. Might let her go.
Kuma
My first spirit beast. As soon as I was level 74 I sat my ass down next to the river where Arcturis spawns and waited. And waited. And waited. It took 8 straight hours of camping before she finally spawned for me. During the time other hunters sat and camped with me, most silent the others extremely rude. I was blissfully alone when she appeared. Still one of my favourite spirits in looks and connection even though I don't use exotics any more.
Numaroc
Nuramoc and I go waaaay back. Back to Burning Crusade. Back to when I was a female night elf named Innis. I was happily questing around Netherstorm when out of the blue (purple, whatever) comes this massive dragon-like creature. I see it is rare and attempt to kill it. Except it killed me. Several times. I lost patience and had to go to bed anyway but as soon as I logged back in I went straight to where I found him. And to my surprise he was still there. Whether he'd been left alone or was killed and happened to respawn in the same place. Tried again to kill him only to die once more. Then I decided I wanted to tame such a strong creature having learned that I could do that with him. So I rush back and res only to see a flagged Horde player attacking him and slowly succeeding. Now, I can't stand PvP. Hate it, hate it, HATE it. But at this point I had such a strong desire to tame the purple chimaera that I took full advantage of the fact the Hordie was flagged. So I killed him and tamed Nuramoc. That was probably -the- most happiest tame I have ever had in all my days of playing WoW. Innis no longer exists and I felt a deep longing to get him back on Vare. So I looked for him and wouldn't you know it, he was waiting for me in the exact same place we'd met the first time.
Sai
It wasn't too much longer after I tamed Krush that I happened across this beautiful fellow. I believe I found him in his south-west spawn near the gate to Un'goro but I DO remember freaking out. He has never stopped being a popular pet and I was dazed that no one else was there before, during or even after I tamed him. I like to think of him as skittish since he's forever being hunted, whether by achievement hunters, normal hunters or that gosh-darned Nesingwary.
I have a load more pets to show off but I'll do that in a later post
RP Pets
Argorok
This guy will never be let go. RP and in-game Arg never leaves Vare's side even when another pet is present. Having stumbled across an orphaned dragonhawk egg after a lynx raid Vare hatched and raised Argorok all the way to his current vain and loyal self. These two could practically be called brothers as opposed to master and pet. He does often get the pair of them into trouble, or at least uncomfortable situations in the view of his elven partner, by demanding attention from anyone who they pass by. This usually includes flying directly at said passer-by or with his favourite trick of hanging by a chest scale from Varethyn's collar and displaying his wings. Not good for my socially awkward penguin blood elf.
-While not Vare's original starting 'hawk (he came about long before starter pets were a thing) Argorok was definitely his first ever pet. At the time I messed up his name (Argaroc) and even abandoned him at one point only to feel a deep sense of regret, so I went back and tamed another (and named him properly too!). They've been inseparable ever since. Even when I'm switching out other pets or simply moving them around Arg never leaves his place in first pet slot. Ever. I don't think he's ever seen the inside of the stables.
Tala
Tala comes and goes but she will always remain faithful to her master. Rescued after being mistreated by orcs to become a battle-worg she allowed Varethyn, and only Varethyn except in dire circumstances, to ride her. She wasn't that young when they first met as it was and as the years went by she lost fur and gained scars. No longer Vare's go-to mount this giant wolf will continue to follow him wherever he goes.
-I bumped into Barnabus while questing in ye olde Badlands and decided there and then to tame instead of kill him, now her. I'm not quite sure where the idea that she was Vare's mount came from especially since, at the time, it was difficult to gain rep with any other faction than your own race's. Yet that indeed came to be and eventually was half-mirrored in-game with a timber worg, since there were no longer red riding worgs at the time. Even though she's got an updated look I plan to keep both versions of her for sentimental reasons.
Malladus
Malladus is an absolute glutton. Drawn to Varethyn's camp one night by the scent of cooking meat he has since followed the elf out of his original stomping grounds in hopes of further food. Vare still doesn't quite understand how this came to be and in fact finds the devilsaur to be far more of a burden than anything else. He now believes Mal's egg was damaged before he hatched as there is no other reason for the lizard's behaviour. Completely non-aggressive unless threatened Malladus would sooner nuzzle a foe to death than eat or crush them. RP-wise Vare had to invest in a glyph of Lesser Proportion to make him a bit more manageable.
-This guy was in fact an accident. I was looking for Loque'nahak at the time while half-watching out for King Krush for someone who had been camping him for a good while. He spawned in front of me but sadly the person looking to tame him was offline. I felt bad especially as there were other hunters about and I had the means to tame him (disposable core hound, ancient hysteria and haste pots. He was a bugger to tame at current content!) so I went and grabbed him. And directly after the person looking logged in and asked if Krush had been seen. To this day I feel awful about it. I since went to get a Zandalari devilsaur from Isle of Giants as I felt that colouration suits Vare a bit better but I'm tempted to let it go. No way I'm letting go of Krush though.
Non-RP Pets
Akira
When I found out stags were tameable and that gazelle were being included in the family I immediately planned one to be part of Vare's stables. Of all the stags gazelle just seemed -right- for him and even though I've since gotten two other stags Akira is still my favourite of the three.
Chica
Cookies if you know the reference! I fell in love with terroclaws since Ji-Kun, farming said boss bird as soon as I was able to solo her in order to get Vare's now go-to flying mount. While the red one suits him more I decided to go with the yellow skin initially purely for the reference but have since grown to love her. Even more so now that it's beneficial to have a carrion bird pet as survival.
Kinsy
Named after one of TygerDarkstorm's RP characters. Kinsy is a young orc huntress who seemed to take a quick liking to the elf, sharing fears and playing together. Her pet was a green old-world crocolisk from Durotar and when I got the green spiked crocolisk in the Random Pet Challenge (I believe) the name just seemed to fit.
Myst
I have a strong connection with this cat even though I rarely have her out. Way back in Burning Crusade when Vare was a female named Lakita I made the run to Darkshore as soon as I was level 22 in order to tame a ghost saber. Back then it was a relative challenge for a Hordie to get one. I can't remember how long it took to get one to spawn but that doesn't matter. While I considered letting her go once before Myst has remained in Vare's stables since.
Nizhoni
A huge surprise love. Even though the woolly kodo is a common spawn in Desolace I decided I needed to find Arra'chea in Mulgore, remembering how she used to be a quest mob way back when. Another hunter was doing the same thing which disappointed me but they soon left and the kodo in question spawned directly after. It was meant to be and I can't believe just how close the two have become. Nizzie has become the star of raids in which I decide to use her and even now I get questions about her.
Taika
I wasn't sure how I felt about mana wyrms as pets and tamed this one as a test. Amazingly I came to like them and Taika here often comes out whenever it's better to have a small pet. Eventually she's going to shed her skin and update to the black-magenta greater wyrm (I'm very nearly revered with Darkfallen and with the weekly bonus it shouldn't take too much longer).
Thana
A massive surprise pet for Vare indeed especially if you know his backstory. In short he's kinemortophobic, meaning he's afraid of the undead, gained from when the Scourge invaded Quel'Thalas. So seeing Vare with an undead-looking pet is something no one would normally consider. Yet here he is. I had a daydream about a plague hawk following him around and found myself going out to tame Alitus in Hillsbrad. It wasn't until he heard her mournful cries as he tried to sleep that he understood that dead or not she was still an eagle and possibly someone's lost pet. He took her in out of guilt and has formed a tentative bond with her.
Tirrae
Anyone who read the WoW RP Fury of the Twilight Cult here on Petopia will know who this is. For those who don't, she's an elementally-infused warp stalker with power over the earth. Originally part of the Cult responsible for infusing animals with elemental powers she ended up making friends with the team and decided to join them. I enjoyed the RP so much that I had to go tame her in-game.
BONUS
The spot I decided to take my screenshots at featured a rather persistent moose. What you guys can't see is the little photo-bomber poking his head in right as I'm making a shot. As such I think this is one of the funnier ones.
Faron
Another FotTC character, this time it's LupisDarkmoon's electromancer-turned-wolf Faron. An otherwise successful experiment interrupted and ruined left Faron trapped in the body of a wolf along with his lightning magic as a troll hunter attempted to tame him. Since he was still technically a person Faron was able to overpower and essentially "tame" the hunter instead, using him as a puppet and to speak for him. He ended up joining the Twilight Cult to help them in their ways in draining mages of magic and infusing animals with it. As with Tirrae I decided I needed an in-game Faron as well. Don't worry - it's Faron only in name. Vare's mind is still very much his own!
-In-game I had every intention of camping Skoll but wasn't the right level to get him. As soon as I was level 80 I went to Storm Peaks but at the time had wanted to quest, leaving the camping for when I'd finished SP since I already had Arcturis (details later). Skoll had other plans. While I was flying to my next quest I happened upon him alive, happy and untamed at his point nearby to Brunhildar Village. Since I wasn't expecting him I was forced to abandon Butch the black devilsaur I had with me at the time. Another hunter landed next to me as soon as the tame finished.
Ganymede
Apologies for the night shot here. I wanted to get shots of everyone before I went out and kinda sorta ran out of time. Whoops. Might retake at some point. Ganymede aka Karoma is a similar tale to Skoll except I had the foresight to keep an open pet slot. And just as well as, once again, I stumbled into her while I was questing around the area east of Bloodgulch. Alive, happy and untamed, once again waiting for me to nab her.
Gara
(Most) Every BM had to follow the story of Gara. I'm not nearly as connected to her as most of my other spirit beasts but the story was certainly worth doing. I wish I had more to say but I simply don't know what else there is. Might let her go.
Kuma
My first spirit beast. As soon as I was level 74 I sat my ass down next to the river where Arcturis spawns and waited. And waited. And waited. It took 8 straight hours of camping before she finally spawned for me. During the time other hunters sat and camped with me, most silent the others extremely rude. I was blissfully alone when she appeared. Still one of my favourite spirits in looks and connection even though I don't use exotics any more.
Numaroc
Nuramoc and I go waaaay back. Back to Burning Crusade. Back to when I was a female night elf named Innis. I was happily questing around Netherstorm when out of the blue (purple, whatever) comes this massive dragon-like creature. I see it is rare and attempt to kill it. Except it killed me. Several times. I lost patience and had to go to bed anyway but as soon as I logged back in I went straight to where I found him. And to my surprise he was still there. Whether he'd been left alone or was killed and happened to respawn in the same place. Tried again to kill him only to die once more. Then I decided I wanted to tame such a strong creature having learned that I could do that with him. So I rush back and res only to see a flagged Horde player attacking him and slowly succeeding. Now, I can't stand PvP. Hate it, hate it, HATE it. But at this point I had such a strong desire to tame the purple chimaera that I took full advantage of the fact the Hordie was flagged. So I killed him and tamed Nuramoc. That was probably -the- most happiest tame I have ever had in all my days of playing WoW. Innis no longer exists and I felt a deep longing to get him back on Vare. So I looked for him and wouldn't you know it, he was waiting for me in the exact same place we'd met the first time.
Sai
It wasn't too much longer after I tamed Krush that I happened across this beautiful fellow. I believe I found him in his south-west spawn near the gate to Un'goro but I DO remember freaking out. He has never stopped being a popular pet and I was dazed that no one else was there before, during or even after I tamed him. I like to think of him as skittish since he's forever being hunted, whether by achievement hunters, normal hunters or that gosh-darned Nesingwary.
I have a load more pets to show off but I'll do that in a later post