Worgen Tales (Image Heavy)

[TygerDarkstorm]

Heehee, a very amusing read, Varethyn. I love Bolero and his lazy, hungry self.

[Azunara]

Bolero is pretty fantastic. Love the skin.))

[Varethyn]

Hee I was giggling to myself when I added Bol's parts too. Damned lazy, loveable croc Also, he loves feet. And Brivelthwerp's name just begs to be made fun of. I mean, what kind of name is that?
Maybe I should add "comments" to some of the screenshots when they fit more often. My brother wondered why I was grinning like an idiot when I put "Dinner?" in the whale shark pic.

[TygerDarkstorm]

[Varethyn]

((Erph. Would've updated earlier but I've been under the weather and generally not up to doing much Here, have some more!))

Dear diary

Refreshed at last I took up Fizzle's latest request: check up on Crazzle Sprysprocket and Kravel Koalbeard over at Splithoof Heights, home of the surviving centaur. It's been discovered that there is an oilwell up there that the gnomes want their hands on and I'm to help with negotiations. Good grief, how many more fairytale creatures am I going to get to meet?

Crazzle was waiting for me near the foot of the cliff saying Kravel was already up top talking with the chiefs. However the Horde also have their eye on the oil and are also trying to persuade the khans into letting them have it. Crazzle asked that I learn the Horde's proposal by beating their negotiator a bit so we can go one better.

These centaur are nothing like the ones I read about. They're supposed to be graceful and noble, a perfect combination of horse and human. Well, I suppose they are, except with all the negative traits: they're messy, smelly and uncivillised. However they are good fighters, fast runners and capable of taming the elements. Trackmaster Zherim, the Horde negotiator, was deep in coversation with one of the khans, a larger, tusked and no less ugly centaur, in his tent.



When the centaur turned away I clobbered the tauren hard enough to stun him and searched him until I found the proposal. Just outside the tent another centaur, an elementalist of sorts, had picked up on what I'd done but rather than reveal me he told me to be useful and regnite a brazier back in their old, now submerged home of Splithoof Crag.

First I returned to Crazzle to show him the proposal. It is worrying: the Horde are offering the horse-people a substantial amount of gold, more than we could gather in a hurry. The gnome said that he'd heard of some gold-looking ore down in the centaur's old stomping grounds, revealed by the Cataclysm. Hopefully that will do the trick. I'm headed down there anyway to reignite the brazier, so this makes things simple.

Pyrite. Fool's gold. I hope that gnome knows what he's doing, given the skycaller's reaction to me I doubt they'd easily fooled by this. It is all we have though. I gathered many chunks of it, using Bol's jaws to smash it open. Yes, Bolero was useful this time, but only because we'd been attacked by hungry remoras and I'd draped the corpses over the veins.



Right at the back of the cave was the brazier. For a moment I'd assumed that the skycaller wanted me to bring the thing somewhere dry so I could light it, but the flipping thing's huge. There was no way I could shift it. Half-heartedly I swung the brand he'd given me as I'd wondered what to do, only to watch the thing burst into flame. UNDERWATER. Magic fire, who knew? No sooner had I lit the brazier did a water revenant attack, saying that it knew who I am and that I'll never hold the “Sacred Flame”. We defeated him and I obtained a bottle of blue fire, which I can only assume is the flame the revenant mentioned. The skycaller will want this no doubt.



I knew it. Crazzle took the pyrite from me and set about coating it with golden paint. The centaur won't be impressed if they found out, and to make matters worse the gnome wants ME to give it to them, not the dwarf. But I was just about to prove myself to them slightly by giving the skycaller the flame. Fel.

That idiot gnome! I knew it. My work for the skycaller did nothing for reputation and the khan picked up on the trick immediately. I was almost skinned alive as the centaur turned on me. If there was anything good to be gleaned from this, it is the fact that they believed us all to be working together and turned on the Horde too. Crazzle wasn't best pleased (pfft!) but was determined to get that oil. He told me simply to retaliate, shoving a crate into my paws as he did so. It contains an unassembled oil-rig-device-thing which I'm to use at an oil pool. The retaliation part is to mow down any horse-men that interfere.



That done, one last task now remains to be fully free of any further threat from the centaur. Crazzle had heard of the skycaller I'd worked for and heard him mention an elemental leader of sorts, a giant wind elemental in fact. Best to blow that away too.



With any luck that will keep the centaur off our backs for some time. Impressed, Crazzle told me to go ahead and deliver the oil I'd managed to pump up. In the meantime I guess he'll be attempting to get more. Stupid, greedy gnomes. You have to admit, minus the oversized features and green skin gnomes and goblins are surprisingly alike.

Fizzle, almost sadly despite his argument with Pozzik, thanked me for all the help but has to send me away. The Grimtotem have moved futher into Thousand Needles and are ransacking the tauren outpost of Freewind. While the Freewind tauren are technically part of the Horde the night elves have decided enough is enough and have allied with them against our common enemy. Quentin, the first elf I met, set me off straight away killing the Grimtotem invaders. Brienna Starglow, just above us healing tauren and orcs -ORCS. I have to fight alongside ORCS?!- explained breathlessly that one of the sentinals have been kidnapped. Right, force my way in and save the prisoner. Alongside those who dared harm my homeland. Brilliant. Seriously, I've learned to accept troll and tauren through the Blackwater Raiders and Zandalar tribe back in Stranglethorn, but orcs? Well... as long as they focus on fighting and not step on my toes so-to-speak then things will be fine. Orcs... At least the forsaken aren't involved.



At the bluff we found the sentinal chained to a totem. Fighting off the Grimtotems I broke the chains and set her free. She ran on ahead to where Quentin and Brienna are.



While there I'd tripped over a tauren corpse. One of the Freewind braves identified him as their loremaster. I identified that the trail of blood he left came from the inn. At just the same time a voice yelled out that he, the cliffwatcher and leader of this tribe, had always secretly been a Grimtotem. Dreaded foes or not, no one should suffer betrayal from their own.



Quentin thanked me, and we both agreed that this is “Grim” business. Joking aside Brienna let me know that the sentinal I'd rescued was healed and waiting for me at Darkcloud Pinnacle. Together we set about setting the fear of the Goddess into the Grimtotems by putting the to death, especially their leaders, and burning the weapon racks. First of the leaders was directly up ahead: Isha Gloomaxe.


((20 shots. 20 flipping shots and this, the last one no less, was the only one where I could see her face!))

The sentinal noticed something outside the tent where Isha was hiding, a bone rattle. The sentinal believes this to be the aptly named Rattle of Bones, one of three items of legend. It can only be bad that the Grimtotem are collecting these.



What was with the large, red wind serpent that appeared as I picked it up? And did it really just tell me to follow it?


((A few fliers have been stuck with swimming animations lately.))

The second leader was a powerful shaman, Elder Stormhoof. The sentinal believes he was a direct deciple to someone called Magatha Grimtotem, the leader of said tribe. He called upon the powers of the elemental planes to try and defeat us, but he made himself too big. Remember what I said about “the bigger they are”?



Not far from where he stood we found the second item of legend: the Writ of History. Again the serpent appeared, saying something about having chosen well... and my name. Stormhoof also mentioned something about “chosen”. I imagine the only way we'll learn is to follow the serpent.



Third leader, Grundig Darkcloud, now too lays dead. He was supposedly the most powerful Grimtotem chief from Stonetalon. I assume the giant bomb scared him home.



The sentinal has a point; so far all three leaders have been spooked by me in some form or another. Just what is happening here? Not far away we located the last object: the Drums of War. Finally we have all three, we can at least prevent the Grimtotem from misusing them. But once again that wind serpent appeared, saying that the items were clues, going on to tell me to kill Arnak Grimtotem, Magatha's nephew and our final target. The sentinal believes it's voice is that of the elder crone herself. What would the leader of the Grimtotem want with me?




Even Arnak believed that his aunt sent me. The sentinal heard of a tauren woman with a distrubingly similar name to mine, Lakota Windsong, became a mystic recently. Arnak had tried to force her to be his wife, kidnapping her twice. Maybe she'll be able to shed light on these artefacts and the wind serpent that's been hanging around.


((I did not steal her name, honest! In fact I'd completely forgotten she existed ._.))

Lakota revealed that the wind serpent, Arikara, is Magatha's familiar. Something must have happened to the crone herself if she's controlling her pet like this. She was interested in the artefacts, so perhaps I can use those to bring the serpent back and explain herself. Lakota warned me that in doing so I may need to weaken the beast in combat before getting answers.



Harrowing. The beast hit hard and fast, and just when I thought I had it, it would put up a barrier formed from the energies of Grimtotem spirits. In turn I was forced to kill the spirits in order to continue. In time it gave up, Magatha explaining through it that she was captured by the Twilight's Hammer somewhere near Highperch. Lakota told me to meet with another tauren, Pao'ka Swiftmountain, and learn what he knows.

I think I can risk a break first, this whole ordeal has me exhausted. Camping on a river boat sounds interesting too. Later, diary.

((And with that, I'm going back to bed. I feel like a kodo just stomped on my head.))

[TygerDarkstorm]

Lovely read as always, Varethyn. You make Thousand Needles seem more interesting than I've been able to find it.

[Varethyn]

((Hee, not bad considering I had something akin to the flu when I wrote this part. Which, I add, has finally cleared up, so hopefully back to regular updates. Unless I play Terraria again. It is oddly addicting right now. I blame TB and Jesse Cox.))

Dear diary

Bolero had slipped off the boat and had proceeded to eat anything that swam, or flew, too close. It was the dying squawk of a seagull that had woken me. Damned crocolisk, one day you'll be too fat to move!

Time to continue to Highperch. And just as well, the Twilight's Hammer have been up to no good. In this place the tauren breed their wyverns, or wind riders. However the Twilight's Hammer are having none of it, killing the pridewatchers and stealing their cubs. Pao'ka implored me to save the wyverns: Cut loose the cubs from their nets and bring the intact nets the poachers carry to him.



How could anyone be so cruel to such majestic creatures? I'd already gained a fascination for them when I escaped the gunship attacking Gilneas all that time back. This just enforces that fascination. And the cubs! Aren't they the most adorable things you've ever seen?



Once things down in the main valley calmed Pao'ka pointed me upward to another section of Highperch, where the pridelord Heartrazor dwelled. The Hammer had him in tethers. This cannot stand.



The great beast is free! And Pao'ka gave him voice, passing on to me his gratitude. Now we must deal with the leader of the operation, Skymaster Richtofen, who is currently lurking above Highperch. Heartrazor, though injured, allowed me to ride him up to the foe. Somehow he was able lift my bloated crocolisk without much strain too.



Richtofen, and his aerie aces, had comandeered the poor wyverns, forcing them to do their bidding. However the beasts were not loyal to the Hammer; escaping as soon as their unwanted riders fell off. Not only that but the cubs wanted in on the action too, latching onto Richtofen and, with their combined strength, lifted him up and off the cliff. Bless them.



Pao'ka didn't quite believe me when I told him of the events prior. He said the cubs must love me dearly for freeing them to have done that. Heartrazor roared his appreciation too, giving me a gift of... well, let's just say I put the skin to good use. I also looked around to find a young wyvern following me. It's parents must have been killed, or it simply loved me so much. How could I not let it come with me?


((Heartrazor was so much less majestic with this swim/fly bug ))

My thoughts were interrupted by Pao'ka as he told me that Lakota had come by recently looking for me. Having not been there she left a message to meet her at the Twilight Bulwark. She has an idea as to where Magatha is being held.



It took me a moment to realise it was Lakota I was looking at, as she'd donned the armour of one of the Twilight cultists. She suggested I do the same and, while I'm at it, break out as many prisoners as I can. Magatha wasn't the only one they kidnapped.



Lakota didn't think much of the bloodstains on the armour I'd procured. Well, what do you expect when I'm fighting for my life? Together we picked out pieces that fit me well. I kind of like it.


((I. LOVE. This shot.))

Serious time. Lakota wants me to use this disguise to assassinate three powerful members in this camp, by tricking them into looking behind them and finishing them. While I'm wondering about I need to find some special code of sorts; turns out Magatha's bonds are encrypted. They really don't want her loose.

Commander Fastfuse, a goblin, I was able to trick by pretending gnomish paratroopers were incoming. Evidently I put on a good act, fool fell for it hook, line and sinker. Starion, slightly ashamedly to be an elf, I learned was quite narcissistic. He fell quite easily for my telling him there was a mirror behind him. Well, he's certainly nothing like Darill. Finally Codemaster Deethuk, a dwarf and the one protecting the code for Magatha's bonds, was brought on by a couple of insults then pointing out something was wrong with his machine. I can't believe how gulliable these guys are. And gory. I got blood all over my new armour.


((400 screenshots, yo.))

Swiping the code I headed back to Lakota with the news. All that remains is to free the Elder Crone. She is being held captive on the eastern side of the camp.



I freed the tauren and she teleported away! Just as she did she told me to meet her further to the east. The little wyvern cub was quick to pick up her scent and guided me to the crone. Despite his swiftness Magatha complained that we took too long. She then pointed at the second camp ahead of us, specifically at the elementals wandering about. One particular elemental called Animus is being infused with the power of the four elements and chanelling energy from two more. If this continues it will explode, taking the entirety of Thousand Needles with it! My new tasks are to retrieve the elements they are using and unbind the bound elementals before this can happen.



Despite my efforts Magatha clearly hates me. I cannot fathom why but now is not the time to wonder. She took the elements and formed the into an arcane nulifier, designed to drop Animus' shield. She then told me to kill Animus. At it's core is an object called a Doomstone. It is this stone the Twilight intended to overload, using Animus as a conduit. Magatha wants me to give the stone to her “for safe keeping”. I do not trust her tone.



It is as I feared. After draining Animus' shield, destroying it and bringing the Doomstone to the Elder Crone I learned the truth. She wanted power, and I'd given it to her. I don't know what she intends to do with it but it can't be good. She said in return for doing her dirty work and ridding her of incompitant Grimtotem leaders she spared my life. But if our paths cross again she will kill me. I doubt I'll ever find out why.

In other news Bolero did it again. He's completely gorged himself on the corpses of those I killed and found a suitable basking spot close to the water. No amount of tugging at him did anything anymore; he's simply too fat. Lazy, greedy bugger. I had no choice but to leave him. At least I'm not alone now. I have Swiftwing the wind rider cub to keep me company.



I thought that's how it was going to be anyway. I'd taken a stroll along the clifftop path in the evening sun until I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I jumped up to find a huge, green snake staring right at me!



It didn't appear at all concerned, just curious. It even went straight back to basking right next to me. I decided quickly, as Swift started playing happily with the serpent's tail, that this creature certainly was friendly enough. I beckoned to it and it followed. Yes. This will be our new friend. Now for a name. The way it... she... weaves back and forth slowly is almost like a rhythmatic dance. Not quite the poetry Lied had however. Wait... Minuet. Perfect.

I think I'll camp up here for tonight, get to know Minuet and Swiftwing some more. I can tell they're going to be good friends the way Min keeps teasing Swift with her tail. Good night diary, tomorrow will tell us where to go next.

[Azunara]

((Love that snake, and that shot. And awwww, Swiftwing is so cute!))

[Varethyn]

It was almost Serenade's howl 2.0 with Minuet because it took so long to get them both to do the right animations at the right time
And given I have a wind rider cub and did the wind rider quests... it seemed fitting *Hugs her plushie*

[TygerDarkstorm]

I keep nagging my bf for one of those plushy wind riders.

Anyway, this was a good read like always and I really like that shot of Lakita and Bolero with the lightning and the final shot of Lakita and Minuet. Bolero gave me quite a few chuckles as well so I hope he likes his time out in Thousand Needles.

[Varethyn]

((Erp. So much for going back to regular posting. *Closes Terraria*
I'm not going to bother with the coin-toss thing this time. Well, I did but I got Badlands. Which everyone's done. While it'd be from a different perspective I thought I'd go somewhere different.))

<The writing here is lighter and fairer than usual, but still heavy from habit.>
Dear diary

I only got to do a part of my rounds today. First of all checking up on Lied (Bolero was fast asleep in his new basking spot) who was happy to see me, winding himself around my waist and licking my face. While I still object to the notion the goblins are starting to make money off of his performances. Development of Mudsprocket is underway as I write. Brogg is happy too, as he'll be getting his own building soon.

I'd then headed straight to Darnassus to play with Bossa, who too took a likeing to playing with Minuet's tail while Swift perched on the cat's head. While I was reading my mail from the huntsman with his report on Nocturne a couple of sentinals ran over to me and asked that I report to Felwood post-haste. Something terrible is happening there. Reluctantly I had to say goodbye to Bossa (who had forgotten what she was doing and was then chasing a wisp) and set out to Astranaar in Ashenvale, the closest I could fly to Felwood.

You may have noticed the change in my writing style. Yes, I am in fact in my human form again. After months of being a wolf it felt... I can't describe it really. I feel normal, like I'm supposed to be human, but after my wolfish senses I feel weak, cold and deaf. I can't smell things the same way either. I can barely lift the axe I found.

Anyway, the reason I'm in my human form to begin with. Felwood literally stinks of corruption; it was so overwhelming it made me sick to enter the place. Looking wasn't pretty either: death and decay wherever you look. Everything is sick and dying. It took a good while before I forced myself to go back in using my human form, but this means I won't be able to run either. I have that part covered though: as thanks for all my efforts so far the night elves gave me one of their saber cats to ride. I named her Silverwind, after the refuge in Ashenvale taken from the night elves by the Horde.



Of course when it comes to combat I'll be forced to Change again in order to protect myself. I'll just try to hold my breath or something. Here at the Emerald Sanctuary I received my first task from a tauren by the name of Taronn Redfeather: kill the infected wildlife and bring back their pelts. I can only assume to burn them; there is nothing that can be made from such heinous hide. A furbolg named Grazle asked that I inspect a totem outside the Deadwood furbolg village just across the road. He himself sees nothing out of the ordinary about it but other people say it speaks to them. He wants me to see if it will speak to me.

The totem DID speak to me! I did not expect it and I jumped when the voice summoned me over. I feel like such a fool. It introduced itself as Ruumbo, god of the Timbermaw tribe and instructed me to kill many of the Deadwood tribe for their trespasses and steal their honey. Truth be told there is something very wrong with this “god”. But I will play along.



These furbolgs sure like their honey. Unfortunately so do bees. Several of the hives I knocked down were buzzing with them. Thankfully there was a pond nearby so I simply jumped into that while I waited for the insects to leave. I suppose that's one good thing about being human, I don't stink of wet dog anymore.



Having done “Ruumbo's” will the totem then instructed me to dance. How. Embarrassing. Sadly if it were a real god I had to appease it and so I danced. I'm sure Minuet and Swiftwing laughed at me. They weren't the only ones though; while I danced I heard voices inside the totem. Two voices, both young. They began to argue and then two furbolg children fell out of the “god” and fled. Thank Greymane it wasn't really a god. But I still feel like an idiot. I decided to take my mind off of it by hunting the sick animals.



The animals were a sickening sight; coupled with my current surroundings I forced myself not to throw up more times than I can count. They were thin, what little fur they had left was matted in who-knows-what, sores and infected wounds covered their bodies and some of them had their ribs literally showing through the flesh. How could anyone do such a thing? It was a huge relief knowing I put them out of their misery.



Taronn gingerly took the pelts I'd salvaged and piled them ready to burn, thanking me for this frightful task. As the tauren set light to the hides I told Grazle about the two furbolg children playing the role of Ruumbo. He promised that he'd find the two brats and drag them back by their ears for playing such silly tricks. Kids will be kids, but sometimes they go too far.

Minuet looks a little more green than normal, and Swiftwing opts to ride on either of our heads for most of the journey; I'm certainly not the only one affected by this place. However, as I turned to find some clean area where we could recover Tenell Leafrunner asked that I deal with the source of the corruption: satyrs. Of course, I remember what the furbolgs in Darkshore said: the satyr of Felwood were moving down to corrupt them. It only makes sense that the place they came from was just as twisted. We will rest soon, but I feel the best place to do so is outside of Felwood.



The glen was swarming with the cursed once-elves but thankfully Minuet was strong enough to help me defeat them all; her natural venom working through their systems along with my artificial one. Once the area was clear we returned to the Sanctuary where Tenell thanked us on behalf of the Cenarian Circle. Desperate times call for desperate measures. While the druids look down on arcane magic he instructed me to find Arcanist Delaris, a night elf who still works with Highborne magics.

The Highborne is camped nearby the ruins of Constellas, working with Eridan Bluewind against the satyr. They've discovered a corrupted moonwell hidden behind a wall of felfire, which the satyr have no issues passing but non-demons do. Delaris told me that they work closely with imps specifically and how there happens to be one in the nearby foothills away from any other demons. She also gave me a sack. I think I know what to do here.

We snuck up on the imp from behind. Minuet draped herself across his path to trip then snare him, while I gave him a good smack upside the head. When I was sure he wasn't about to flee I threw the sack over him, and in turn threw that over my shoulder to carry back to the camp. Poor Swift still isn't feeling quite right but insisted on flying regardless, though I did see him holding onto Silverwind's tail a few times. The entire time the sack squirmed and the imp yelled something about someone called Niby selling him out. I wonder what on Azeroth he means.



Back at the camp Delaris beat on the imp, known appropriately as Impsy, into submission. The little demon told me that to pass the fire-wall I need to “phase-shift” but attempted to fool me and escape before telling me how to do that. Swift flew at his face with claws out, which promptly changed the imp's mind. I now need to collect slime from the nearby oozelings. Enough to cover me apparently. Well, slime can't be nearly as bad as the half-rotten beasts I had to deal with.



It was only natural -or unnatural as the case may be- that oozes would infest the tainted waters here. Finding them was hardly a problem and I had enough slime to cover not only myself but Minuet and Swiftwing too. Impsy put some of his own essence into the goop and instructed me to pour it over ourselves on a glowing rune on Shadowlurk Ridge. There we will find an object called the Claw of Tichondrius: this is what I need to get past the fire. Unsurprisingly Impsy told me the Claw is guarded by a large voidstalker. Nothing's ever easy, even when you've already earned the right to it all. Slime...

I'm glad I had to do this in my human form, pouring slime onto fur is not pleasant in the least. Swift will be testament to that later on, poor thing. Neither he nor Min were best pleased with having the ooze tipped on them but somehow I managed it. I was forced to use my wolf form to take on the cultists that were skulking in the phase, along with the voidstalker, Voritus.



Admittedly it was easier on my senses in the phase; less corruption and more evil magics. There is a difference! Anyway Voritus dissipated and left behind the Claw. As soon as I had it Delaris contacted me mentally and used her powers to pull me back to her, out of the phase. Believe me, being tugged around by magic isn't the best way to travel if you're not used to magic. I'm amazed I didn't faint, though the vertigo and the overwhelming corruption almost spun me off my paws. Recovered, Delaris told me to strike the final blow on these satyr by killing their leader. Eridan piped in too by asking that I kill as many of the satyr as possible. After what they've done, gladly.

I was both amazed and pleased to see several druids attacking the satyr in their bear forms. It made the job so much easier.



The firewall also dissipated easily as I helf the claw up. Almost directly behind it was the satyr leader, Xavathras, by the corrupt moonwell; its once-pure waters now a thick, sickly green gunge. As we felled the satyr he yelled at us, telling me that we'd “feel the full force of the legion”. Legion? A legion of satyr? What did he mean? It sounded menacing whatever it was.



Returning to the elves Delaris explained that she'd had a little “alone time” with Impsy and learned a deep secret among imps. I had to return to my human form again by now in order to better listen. Damn corruption. The Highborne gave me a prism which Impsy had imbued to show an image of the one thing that scares imps more than anything else. This should be fun.



Rainbows?! Imps are scared to death of rainbows?! Well! Who would have thought it? Next thing you know we'll be fighting Deathwing with a robotic unicorn that shoots rainbows. Honestly, these evil creatures... scared of a little bright colour! Delaris is just as bemused as I was but gave me a trinket that fires rainbows should I ever require it. She had planned to either release or kill Impsy, but decided he had so many more secrets needing to be shared. I'll leave her to that. Besides, Eridan asked that I head to Wildheart Point and give a pouch containing herbs for purification to someone named Greta Mosshoof.

Wildheart Point isn't much, just a small camp comprised of a couple of tents, but it is cleaner than most of Felwood I've been to so far. Min and Swift look about ready to drop too, so I'll take a break here. The corruption is still making me nauseous. I pray we'll find some purity soon before I catch some fel-tainted fever or something. Later diary.

((It's difficult to get good combat shots while in human form ))

[Varethyn]

((Hello? ))

Dear diary

I learned today that the “legion” that the satyr leader mentioned is in fact the Burning Legion, the name the demons as a collective go by. Still, I'm unfazed by the threat. I gave Greta, another tauren, her herb pouch but one was missing. She asked that I collect a flower known as Crying Violet and take them to a partner of her's somewhere in Jaednar. A night elf by the name of Jessir Moonbow caught me as I was leaving and practically ordered me to slay Shadow Council cultists in the Jaednar area. They worship the demons and could be just as much of a threat.

Jaednar stinks even worse than the rest of the wood, and no wonder with all the foul goings-on here. The Shadow Council is another mixed-race clan mostly made up of humans, gnomes, orcs and -ugh!- forsaken. They also had those strange demon hound creatures about the place. I made sure to slay as many as possible.



Despite the corruption and devistation of the land the crying violet was bountiful. It never ceases to amaze me how nature can work even in the harshest of environments.



It took me a moment to locate Andalar Shadevale in Jaednar as he'd hidden behind some bushes by the entrance of some barrow den. He didn't admit it but he was badly wounded, accepting the flowers sagely. He then gave me a canteen which I filled with water from another corrupted moonwell here. Why the fel would he want this? Even if I were desperate for water I'd never stop to drink this gunk.



Thank Greymane the water is one ingrediant, along with the violet and various other items, for a purification potion. Andalar instruced me to use the liquid on four braziers inside the den, or rather the Shadow Hold. This will supposedly route their power and leave them vulnerable to scattering. While I'm there the elf asked that I kill anything I run into, especially the “demon prince” Xavalis. Painful though it will be I think I'll use my worgen form for this; Andalar says the cultists inside are much tougher than the ones we just faced.

The Hold was long, winding and treacherous; each bend obscured a new foe. I was forced to rely on Minuet and Swiftwing's instincts as I forced myself not to breathe the corrupt air. Minuet always went in first for me, hissing violently and spitting venom. Even when the snake could not distract the enemy enough Swift would launch at their faces while I shot at them from afar. Brave little critters.



I made sure to douse every brazier I came across: the all looked the same to me but hopefully some of them were the right ones.



Not as far in as I thought we encountered the satyr Xavalis. Another prince has died, but this time for the better. I may not have mentioned your name since the battle for Gilneas, but may you rest well Liam Greymane.



I wish I knew how people are able to talk to me from any distance: Andalar does not strike me as a mage or any other type capable of telepathy. However he did it he congratulated me on Xavalis' death only to task me with the death of twin succubii: Moora and Salia. The Shadow Lord of this Hold holds this pair with great pride, so it'd be a terrible loss for him to lose them.



The twins gone, Shadow Lord Fel'dan himself is next. The route forwad was as twisted as the cultists' minds. I'm starting to feel lightheaded from holding my breath for so long so often as is; dizziness is not something else I can bare!



One last target remains. Even Fel'dan was simply a pawn for a dreadlord named Lord Banehollow. Without him this sect of the Shadow Council will shrivel and disperse.



Success! And not a moment too soon: I'm fit to faint. Thankfully too we didn't need to follow the coils of the den back to the entrance; Banehollow had located Wildheart Point and had been preparing for a seige! The portal had already been opened but instead of his demon horde it will be me, Minuet and Swift who step, or slither, through.

What a surprise I gave the druids when we emerged. They welcomed and congratulated me accordingly, then sent out a rescue team to collect Andalar. My victory was short-lived however. No sooner had I caught my breath did Farlus Wildheart, leader of the Point I presume, told me of Bloodvenom Post. It is a Horde outpost in truth but the druids keep in contact with the tauren there. Though recently word has stopped coming. Wait, this feels somewhat familiar. As I suspected he asked that I meet up with a dryad named Kelnir Leafsong and find out what the fel is happening.

I don't care who is truly responsible sometimes, I always end up blaming the forsaken. After Gilneas everything they've done is cruel, heartless and downright disgusting. It only helps then that the forsaken really were the cause of this new problem. One woman was trying to use the oozes against the Alliance but her experiments got out of control. Why isn't word being heard from Bloodvenom anymore? Because they, due to this forsaken woman's twisted ambition, are nothing more than slime creatures. Only one tauren got away alive but suffers an infection that, in time, will turn him into slime too. Kelnir believes she can save the tauren using the mushrooms growing around the tainted waters. Tainted or not it had better do something. The tauren, Altsoba Ragetotem, pleaded that I destroy all the oozes I find while I'm at the lake to prevent things from getting worse.

Mushrooms were growing all around the lake. Kelnir had informed me that only the green, glowing ones would suffice. After what I saw in Jaednar I would've thought a green glow to be something to do with demons. I won't argue though; I'm no expert on fungus, especially the tainted variety.



As Altsoba requested I killed many of ooze-things that squirmed out of the water. I admit slight paranoia that the lake itself was made of slime.



The dryad eased my fears about the mushrooms, as this particular shade and hue of green meant energies from the Emerald Dream, not demons. She's confidant they will do the job. Altsoba also thanked me before taking the medicine Kelnir whipped up.

By Greymane that was disgusting! Altsoba took the medicine and immediately threw up. While that in itself was unpleasant it wasn't the worst part: the vomit moved! In reality the tauren had coughed up the slime infecting him, but it certainly will give me nightmares for a time. While he recovers Kelnir told me what the tauren told her about the post. Winna, the forsaken woman, is still there, posessed by the slime and making more. Before I dive in to stop her though Kelnir wants me to find her cat. This is hardly the time to play rescue rangers.



Is there anything in this place that isn't corrupted? I feel terrible for this poor creature! Sure enough, according to the eartag it had, it belonged to Winna. Another victim to her intolerable experiments. Kelnir reckons I could use this to get Winna's attention long enough to pull her out of the slime and kill her. Altsoba, who still looks ready to lose his lunch, implored that I kill the remnants of the tauren that he shared the post with while I'm up there.

I pity those tauren; they did not deserve such a fate as this.



Winna was less a slime monster than the tauren, but still a monster in my eyes. I felt no pity or regret when she snapped out her trance at the sight of the kitten's eartag. I felt nothing. Just another forsaken paying the consiquences for her actions.



I wonder where Altsoba will go now that his home is overrun with ooze. Perhaps at Whisperwind Grove where Kelnir wants me to check in at? I hope he lives well after his ordeals. At the grove I was greeted by Puregrove, a night elf tender. She laughed a little when I told her that I'd met Kelnir but sobered at my last adventure. She suggested I spend the night here and rest. To be fair, that sounds like a perfect idea. I didn't realise how tired I am until now. Good night diary, I pray my dreams aren't swarmed with demons and ooze.

[TygerDarkstorm]

Sorry, I am a little late on reading this and commenting.
Anyway, excellent read like always, I've never really done much questing in Felwood so I've been enjoying reading this. Minuet looks right at home in there.

[Airwyn]

I love that snake! The skin is gorgeous Great ready Varethyn

[Varethyn]

Thanks both ^^ I'd not really taken into consideration how well Min fits in in Felwood *starts plotting*
No worries Tyger Also apologies if I leave pushy comments. I'm just a tad paranoid concerned with people leaving and things going quiet

[TygerDarkstorm]

I get paranoid about no comments too, which is probably why most of my journals have started to get abandoned. XD I feel like people aren't reading them, and then get swept up doing other stuff and just forget about them.

[Varethyn]

Dear diary

I awoke this morning somewhat refreshed. Minuet and Swift were already awake and playing around; I hadn't taken the time to realise Whisperwind is so pure. The druids have done well with this area.

But Puregrove admits that not all is well: the coursers, while not as violent as the rest of the sickened wildlife, are wasting away into nothingness. The elf asked that I put them done if I saw them. I was also given a very odd request: clean the local squirrels. They carry the corruption after washing in the tainted pools but do not succumb as fast. A quick, proper bath should solve that, and make the little things happy in the process.

It was a chore and a half to grab the squirrels to wash them, they kept running away from me up trees or in holes despite all my efforts. It was Swiftwing who helped here. Being small he managed to approach the rodents easily and distracted them while I picked them up. It wasn't a surprise how much they wriggled to get away, but as Puregrove said they sure were happy afterwards! One was so happy with me in fact that it decided to ride on my shoulder for a time.



I wish I could say the same for the coursers. Like the wolves and bears prior they looked horrible. Worse even, their skin flayed and bones showing. I can't believe they were even still alive.



Puregrove helped allieviate my worries by asking for help with a little weeding. Giant lashers, semi-sentiant plants, grow around the grove and protect it, helping to purge the corruption. Not even they are immune though and that is my task: check for, and illiminate, any corrupted lashers.

Sadly a lot more of those I checked were corrupted, but many were clear and so purification can continue unhindered. Again I marvel at nature's workings in hostile times.



Having cleared out the chaff from the wheat, as it were, I relaxed a little and watched Min and Swift mess about again. Or rather, Swift did but Min wanted some peace. Having gotten bored with the wind rider's antics she sought out a particularly green area and coiled up. Truly I could barely see her!



While Minuet hid from Swift I was called over by a couple of druids who proceeded to tell me about infernals, rocks bound together with fel magic that fell to Azeroth like meteors, leaving craters in what is now known as Shatterscar Vale. Many still wander there and so it is now my task to clear them out.



I also collected parts of infernals to prove that I'd done the job.



One particularly large infernal jumped us from behind, startling me so much that I Changed to face it. Minuet was sent flying by a molten fist but her litheness prevented harm.



A ring of green fire caught my attention. Following it we discovered another large but clearly powerful infernal lurking in the foothills at the back of the Vale. Once again I'd decided it best to destroy him.



The druids praised us when we returned. One of them took the parts I'd picked up and studied them a moment before proclaiming that the taint was, slowly but surely, healing. On the subject of healing she gave me a vial, asking that I fill it at the moonwell here at the Glade and sprinkle it in the deadened Irontree Woods, in hopes of coaxing new life to grow.

Well! The water definitely worked but I wasn't expecting this little thing to start following me about. The tiny plant was able to speak -barely- and told me it needed soil and food. It was terribly specific about its food too: it wanted bugs. What, is it related to the venus flytrap or somesuch carnivorous plant? I recall seeing a swarm of wasps nearby, perhaps they'll sate it.



It was mildy disconcerting to watch the sproutling shoot out a viny arm to snare and devour the dead wasps, but everything has to work some way or another. It was amusing to watch it run about on the soil though. Swift joined it a few times. I suppose he's happy to have a new playmate closer to his size. How he enjoyed pouncing on the little plantling.



That came as a surprise! All the bugs and the fresh soil caused little baby plant to grow up big. Namely into a young treant. Minuet was enthralled by the growth spurt - Swift was a little more apprehensive; what happened to his new tiny friend?



I decided to carry the slightly dejected wyvern in my arms as I listened to the treant. It needs sunlight. I fear that the poor little treant has absorbed some of the taint already. I mean; how the fel am I meant to find pure sunlight here in Felwood? The druids may well be doing a good job with Whisperwind Grove, but not that much. The treant seems to know where we can find some. I guess I'll just follow it for now and pray it's not delusional.

Miraculously, around the edge of the woods were indeed gaps in the trees that let through pure, untainted light. Each one we stopped at the treant grew a little. It came as a welcome surprise to us after the dark coldness of the rest of Felwood. I'm surprised Minuet didn't decide to stay and bask in a shaft.



As we searched for other beams of sunlight we were attacked by other treants who had succumbed fully to the taint. My little treant asked that we put them out of their misery. Once more, each one we felled seemed to give the treant strength.



After bathing in the sunlight and removing the fel treants my treant friend grew ever further, into a young Ancient. Bit of a conflict of words there but I have no other way to describe it.



His next task for us was to destroy an afflicted Ancient who, as the corrupted treants had been he said, was spreading the taint and sapping the pure nutrients needed for new life to thrive.



I felt a pang of what may have been guilt once the Ancient fell. To remove such a creature, after learning to respect them back in Darkshore... almost heartbreaking. My Ancient told me that the time and conditions were now right, asking that I escort him back to the hill on which we first met. There he planted his roots, entering some kind of stasis as he began to absorb the now cleansed nutrients of Felwood. It is sad to leave him behind, but I know I've done a good deed this day.



((I kinda got carried away levelling Laki :< I'm eager to upload the next part, but I'll leave you with this for now ))

[TygerDarkstorm]

I loved this update! Your screenshots are lovely (and the ones with commentary gave me a good chuckle). Minuet is such a gorgeous snake. Really enjoyed the bit with the treant.

[Varethyn]

Hehe thanks. I enjoyed this part a lot too; Cata Felwood is so different and so much nicer (in my opinion) than the original. I wasn't expecting the sproutling at all! Each flight I took that went over Irontree I made sure to peek at my new friend ^^

I love Minuet too, so pretty. Sadly we'll have to say goodbye to her in the next update Why do I level so fast? D:

[Varethyn]

((Shortish update but probably one of my faves ))

Dear diary

I'd returned to Whisperwind to recuperate when I was told of a demon hunter by the name of Feronas Sindweller in these parts. Contrary to the title the hunter has been twisted into serving those he sought to destroy and has become as much of a threat as the demons themselves, killing many druids, and thus must be stopped. Forecfully if need be.

I located the demon hunter easily. Aside from those manipulated by cults I could never imagine an evil elf, yet here he is.



He called me blind? He's the one with the blindfold! Yeesh. That aside he stopped the fight before we were done, telling me that there are things I must know, such as why he was here and why he killed the druids. His first excuse was that if not for a particular demon hunter Felwood would be a stronghold for the Legion. That means little to me but he now wants me to watch images of this demon hunter and reconsider.

Stormrage? As in Malfurion Stormrage? So the druid had a brother, Illidan, who was a demon hunter. Illidan had come to Felwood seeking to kill the demons in order to prove himself. But he was stopped by a human. A death knight. I heard little about the human but could this be the one people call Arthas?


((Fun fact: I spammed Print Screen in fear the event would end quickly. When it took much longer than expected I moused over them and checked my log. I was supposed to attack Arthas. Derp.))

Whoever he was the human challenged Illidan until the hunter called a draw, demanding to know what the death knight wanted. The human was simply testing the elf to see if he could stand against the Legion and then told him of the leader, Tichondrius, and something called the Skull of Gul'dan. I will not pretend to know what that is except that it was powerful and demon-tainted.

The next image was of Illidan fighting waves of demons to get to what I assume was the Skull. Many a demon -felhound, infernal and doomguard alike- all fell to his twinblades. Once he had access Illidan drew the power into himself, transforming him into a demon! If not for the continuation of the story I would've turned straight back on Feronas.


((Much <3 Definitely one of my favourite screenies.))

Illidan did not use the power for himself. The first thing he did was confront Tichondrius and defeated the dreadlord with his new powers.



At this point Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurian Stormrage arrived. Malfurion did not recognise his brother at first and when he did he was too furious to accept Illidan's feat. Instead the druid banished his brother from the forests, which Illidan venomously accepted.



I am finding it difficult to understand quite what is happening, to decipher these images. Feronas called me back and finally explained his murdering the druids. He claims they are infact demons in disguise and handed me a blindfold. Apparently it is soaked with demon blood and will allow me to see the shape-shifted demons within Whisperwind Grove. I still do not quite trust him, but if it tells me the truth...

I allowed myself back into my worgen form for this, for while the blindfold should show me the demons I will still effectively be blind. My wolf's nose and ears should help me find my way around.



It was true! What I had taken for druids of the Circle turned out to be fel-shades. I admit I was furious for their deception and began to destroy all that I saw in hopes to stop this.



I thought I was doing a good thing but Feronas told me that using demon-blood powers like that could have broken my mind, driving me mad. He pulled me back to him, taking the blindfold but explaining that he'd located the leader of these intruders: the leader of Whisperwind Grove, Arch Druid Navarax.



Confronting the Arch Druid yielded the truth of Feronas' words: the elf transformed into a powerful satyr!



Not long after we killed Xaravan, the satyr, a druid ran up to see what all the commotion was about. He took one look at the demon's corpse but could not believe it was true to begin with.



While he collected his thoughts he told me to report to Huntress Selura, the one who tasked me to find Feronas in the first place. She didn't quite accept it either until she saw the corpse for herself. Investigations will be carried out among the rest of the druids to weed out other demons but Feronas is to remain in exile for now.

This has been a hectic day and all three of us are exausted. James Hallow, a fellow Cursed, asked that I travel over to Talonbranch Glade to the east to help out with goblin troubles; the druids do not want to get involved in order to retain some neutrality here. I will do so first thing in the morning, I doubt I'll be able to hold onto the hippogryph readied for me right now.

Goodnight diary.