Does this ever happen to anyone else?

[Calixte]

So, let me preface this by saying I am absolutely a mount collector. Once my main hunter Cali hit 100 mounts, I slowed down for a bit, but I have had my eye on a couple mounts (PSD, I'm looking at you!) for far too long. One thing is stopping me, though...

I have a serious fear of camping Aeonaxx...and I mean SERIOUS. I think the problem lies in the fact that I have this very strange paranoia about things flying above me in-game. I fly my toons very close to the ground whenever possible and really struggle when I have to go any higher. The same goes for water...Vash'jir was HORRENDOUS for me, especially with the Fail Sharks swimming around. Once upon a time I really wanted to camp Poseidus but the thought of floating for hours in the water near Fail Sharks and other mean swimmy things actually gave me nervous knots in my stomach.

I am in love with the Phosphorescent Stone Drake. That thing is just beautiful beyond belief. I know the fight, I know how to get Aeonaxx down, and that's probably not a problem for my decently-geared hunter. But I'm not sure that, if he spawned, I could actually get myself to move my toon up to him. That's the part that freaks me out. When I fly in Deepholm I avoid being anywhere close either to Xariona's flight path or to Aeonaxx's spawn points because I just get so nervous about giant dragons flying over my toon's head. I think it's a space issue that my brain has difficulty reconciling.

This is a weird and stupid paranoia. Does anyone else ever struggle with this, or am I just totally wacky?

[Vephriel]

I can certainly understand that. I have a fear of deep water, and I definitely can see how the same sort of unease could apply for air, especially a dark murky place like Deepholm (honestly with the blue tones it's easy to imagine you're deep underwater there *shudder*) I only managed to complete the Vashj'ir quests through sheer force of will and needing to have the achievement. Having a pet definitely helped a bit as I felt less alone out there in the vast expanse of water. Sharks, while fascinating and beautiful creatures, resonate a deep seated fear within me nonetheless, though only in direct contact or semi-direct contact (aka my character being near them). I love watching Shark Week and learning about them, I just freak out if there's one in the water with me (not that it's every happened in real life...thankfully ._.).

Does it help that Aeonaxx is a friendly unit? He's not aggressive at all, so if you're focusing on that aspect maybe it's slightly better? You can also ensure you're always -above- his spawn level. It's easy to get the height information from sites such as AeonaxxResource and prepare your camping spot so that he'll be underneath you no matter what.

Also, for a long camp such as that you'll most likely be tabbed out or doing other things than sitting there staring (at least I'd hope so for your sanity, lol). So you won't have to sit there and concentrate on the fear aspects.

[Calixte]

I think the only way I managed to survive Vash'jir was with my faithful pets by my side...but if I ever have to go back there I use the "flight paths" and close my eyes until I reach my destination. I don't know how to swim IRL so that's where a lot of my fear comes from, and I'm wondering if that does transfer into flying in the air as well. Part of my struggle is based in the fact that I just can't see what's above me. It freaks me out to no end! I think my brain has trouble separating the in-game sky above me from the space above my own head, which is stupid. Way to be stupid brain. The only way I managed to allow myself to grab TLPD is by parking on a cliffside spawn point and lucking out when he spawned next to my toon. I'm not sure I could have gotten him had he been flying.

It's true, Aeonaxx is friendly! I always tell myself when I try to go camp but his sheer size really really alarms me. For awhile I tried watching tame videos but always felt so nervous and shaky when the player would approach him. I have done a lot of research on him and read that he spawns pretty high up, which puts me below Xariona's location...she is pretty huge so that's another scary thing. Sometimes I just try to brave it and hope my boyfriend is around. Even though he doesn't play anymore, he probably could steer my toon to Aeonaxx in the event that I freaked out.

Thank you for your suggestions, Veph. Good to know I'm not the only one who fears parts of this game. I know you were camping Aeonaxx for a long while...did you finally get him?

[Vephriel]

*nod* Xariona is actually pretty easy to avoid, she stays strictly over that broken ring at the top of Deepholm, and she has a small aggro radius, you have to get right in her face for her to see you, and you won't be anywhere near her at any Aeonaxx spawns, I assure you. I also removed her from my NPC scan list since I didn't want false alarms. I did see her once, but that was only because Kalli found her while helping me camp, and I never would have noticed her otherwise, I didn't see her at all.

Yes, after 6 months of a grueling camp (seriously, never again...Aeonaxx was the longest and most sanity reducing camp I have ever done) I finally caught him! Honestly, I can't even remember seeing him or approaching him really, it's all such a haze. If you're as crazy about that mount as I am, and you see NPCscan go off for Aeonaxx, I have a feeling the sheer adrenaline and excitement will take over any fear you have. You probably won't even notice yourself flying at him and mounting him, because I sure didn't! Lol.

Anyways, good luck if you decide to try it! It's a horrendous camp, but totally worth it if you love the mount. ^_^

[Atalanta]

*hugs*

You're not wacky at all. I feel very nervous myself whenever I'm in Vashj'ir, and find myself rushing around to get my herbs and whatnot as quickly as possible. I also want Poseidus very badly, but I'm pretty much the same as you. The deep water bothers me, game or not. I actually remember staring at my screen when leveling and feeling like I was losing my breath, as though in the water as the character... ><

As Veph already said, you can find out the exact height he spawns and flies around so that you can be prepared.

[Echo]

You're not wacky, I don't have a fear of heights in game or water, but jumping makes me nervous, like in Molten Front when I had to jump those rocks to get to Skarr, ugh my hands used to get sweaty and I actually felt anxiety about jumping them, I hated it, and most times I had my bf do it..
So don't worry like others have said once you spot Aeonaxx and mount him,I think your fear will go away and you'll just be so happy you finally have him.

Good luck in your search!!!..and you can do it!!

[Calixte]

Thanks for the loves you guys! The support is certainly much appreciated. I have been kind of desensitizing myself a little bit to the idea of flying high in Deepholm by perching near Stonecore with my pet out. My pets always seem to comfort me and help me feel a little bit less alone. I'm not really hopeful that I'll find my PSD but if camping for him helps me to get over this wacky fear, that'll be awesome!

Grats to you, Veph! I followed your camp thread for awhile and knew how long you put into camping for that guy. I'm so happy you got him. He is a BEAUTIFUL mount and totally matches your color scheme.

[Mychelle]

I have a very extreme fear of wasps.... long story short, Sithilus creeps me out hard core.
>.> heh. I even tried tameing a wasp on my baby hunter but it still creeps me out....going onto that map, the buzzing, the insects blocking out the sun....I cant stand it for very long.

[Calixte]

The phobias this game can bring up are so weird!!

[Vephriel]

Ooh, that makes me remember one of my guildie's from my original server. He had trypophobia, it's a sort of fear of clusters of holes. The texture on the ground in certain parts of the Plaguelands (I think the areas with the large mushrooms) freaked him right out, he couldn't go there without feeling sick.

[Sasrei]

I think once you spot him itll be much better if your just camping, just camp one spot and go and do something else You can watch a movie you like or something like that and itll make it much easier on you. I had a huge fear of spiders in game until ptr 4.2 and my determination to get that evil kirix.. and spending 2 hours with him made it much easier now. I also am not a fan of vash but I think I get more... screemish when swimming up towards the surface.. I dont know why but it just seems so empty... and creepy.

With deepholme you can just look at the very pretty rock structures that are really nice and unique

I find sometimes it better to face your fear head on! or.. uh die multiple times for a few hours then get to ticked off to even care about the fear anymore

[Calixte]

The way I handled TLPD camping, despite having to be up high and facing the possibility of a giant dragon flying over me, was to camp and work on homework or watch a movie on my boyfriend's computer. That way I can easily relax and forget some of my anxiety.

I barely got through the Vash'jir quests, especially when you have to swim up near the top. You're right, Sasrei, it's way more terrifying up there. No other questers, no NPCs or fun scenery, just the horrifying possibility of running into the Fail Shark in giant open, empty waters.

I've never faced a challenge as terrifying as this one. I've been down in Deepholm for a couple hours but it ends up really freaking me out. I'm hoping if I ever do see Aeonaxx, adrenaline will kick in before I have a chance to freak myself out.