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Travels through Azeroth and Outland returns
Travels through Azeroth and Outland was a player-penned travelogue through all of World of Warcraft's zones, written from the perspective of a canny Forsaken narrator with a good eye for the local culture (to the extent that places like Hellfire Peninsula could be said to have "local culture"). It was easily one of the best, most unsettling, and most thought-provoking pieces of fan fiction we've ever read, and it amassed a significant group of fans among players and Blizzard alike. It even has its own TV Tropes entry. Unfortunately for us, its author Zac finished all of the zones in the game through Wrath of the Lich King content and then left to focus on graduate school. But it's back! Zac will be updating the travelogue with Cataclysm content, starting with his recent entry on Kezan. It examines the city itself and the story of the Bilgewater Cartel's entry to the Horde, but it also contains a few, shall we say, anthropological observations. ("I was relieved that no one died in the (footbomb) game I watched, a sentiment not shared by the audience.") You can hop into the travelogue at any point and get a feel for what Destron Allicant, its narrator, is all about, but I would recommend starting from the very beginning. Trust me: It will change how you experience the game, and for the better. We've interviewed Zac previously, and if you're interested in getting some background information on how he's written the series, you'll find related articles here: Lisa's World of WarCrafts interview with Zac Forsaken narrators, MMO storytelling, and why the draenei are so scary Zac's notes on his characterization of all 12 races Narrative gaps, secondary characters, and Icecrown's unending bleakness Why players aren't necessarily "the good guys"
Travels through Azeroth and Outland interview, part 2
We return today with the final portion of our interview with Zac, the gifted writer behind Travels through Azeroth and Outland. Today, we've asked about narrative difficulties, the dark parts of Azeroth's development, "fridge horror," and whether player characters are ultimately a good or bad thing for the world. You can find the first portions of our interview here: Travels through Azeroth and Outland: Forsaken narrators, MMO storytelling, and why the draenei are scary. Zac's notes on racial characterization.
Travels through Azeroth and Outland comes to a close
I've been pretty vocal in the past about my intense love for Travels through Azeroth and Outland. It's a five-year, player-penned travelogue that takes readers on an expansive journey through every zone in the pre-Cataclysm game. Over the years, it's attracted a lot of attention due to the incredible quality of its writing and storytelling. Not only does it have its own TV Tropes entry, but even Blizzard's taken notice, and we've gotten the opportunity to interview its writer. Even if you're not a roleplayer or all that interested in WoW's lore, Travels has an unsettling capacity to get you thinking about the deeper implications of the game's quests and become absorbed in the narrator's observations. It is, quite simply, one of the best pieces of fan fiction I've ever read and a hugely addictive story. If you haven't read it, please do. You will never see the game the same way again. But, as with all good things, Travels has reached its end. While Zac, its author, plans to post some story cues related to the Cataclysm expansion on his travelogue's forums, he's wrapped up the main storyline, and our beloved narrator -- a Forsaken named Destron Allicant -- is riding off into the sunset. I was lucky enough to talk extensively with Zac about what spurred the travelogue, how he sees the various Azerothian races, and good versus evil in Blizzard's universe.
World of WarCrafts: Travels Through Azeroth art winner
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself; contact our tips line (attention: World of WarCrafts) with your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired creations. We have a winner for our art contest for Travels Through Azeroth and Outland, Destron's amazing fan-fic serial. The author selected this piece sent by submitter Mitch Death to appear in the fan-fic blog. Travels Through Azeroth transports readers to Azeroth and Outland as seen through the eyes of itinerant traveller Destron the mage. This ongoing, lore-based tale is deep -- deep enough in quantity to have accumulated years' worth of entries, and deep enough in content to be recommended by TVTropes.com. We've included large versions of both of Mitch's submissions, plus my own personal favorite (from reader Raymond Liang), in the mini-gallery below. %Gallery-92528% More creative tidbits from our talented readers, after the break.
Reminder: Travels Through Azeroth art contest continues
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself; contact our tips line (attention: World of WarCrafts) with your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired creations. Because of all the cataclysmic, celestial madness around these parts lately, we've decided to tack on another two weeks to our art contest for Destron's amazing fan-fic serial, Travels Through Azeroth and Outland. Send us your original illustration of Destron, the protagonist of Travels Through Azeroth, for a chance to be featured here on WoW.com and on the About page of Travels Through Azeroth. (Read more about Destron and his travels in our World of WarCrafts feature.) Travels Through Azeroth transports readers to Azeroth and Outland as seen through the eyes of itinerant traveller Destron the mage. This ongoing, lore-based tale is deep -- deep enough in quantity to have accumulated years' worth of entries, and deep enough in content to be recommended by TVTropes.com. Find out more about Destron by reading about him on Travels; your illustration should show Destron, the narrator. You may use any art medium you like. Send your entries (.jpg format, please) to lisa at wow dot com, with the subject line TRAVELS THROUGH AZEROTH ART. We'll accept entries through midnight EST Sunday, May 2.
World of WarCrafts: Travels Through Azeroth (and art contest)
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself; contact our tips line (attention: World of WarCrafts) with your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired creations. "This has never happened to me before. I'm a good pilot, dammit! Ugh, I know I'm going to be charged for it too. Serves me right for renting out a Cartel Zeppelin, dammit!" It was a dark, steaming jungle night in northern Stranglethorn. The ambient noise of the forest is astonishing. An endless natural orchestra of birds, insects, and mammals play in the lush canopies and dank undergrowth. Much like the Swamp of Sorrows, rain is a daily occurrence in Stranglethorn Vale. After Spirra crossed over the mountains it looked as if we would soon reach the goblin metropolis of Booty Bay. Then an unexpected storm blew us badly off-course. Spirra took this in stride, saying that it would just take a little longer, and that she could stop by Grom'gol if I wanted. Then, drifting low over the verdant jungle ceiling we heard a staccato of gunfire rise from the tangled landscape. Bullets shattered the propeller and pierced the balloon, and we streaked to the ground. It ended suddenly when Spirra's zeppelin impaled itself on a tree. Fortunately, neither of us was badly hurt. We climbed down the tree, carrying what supplies we could. Of our attackers we found no sign. ("Stranglethorn Vale," Travels Through Azeroth and Outland) Have you ever wondered what it would be like to actually be in Azeroth? To travel from place to place, staying in inns or with friends and acquaintances, taking in the sights and logging it all down in your journal? Find yourself transported as you see Azeroth and Outland through the eyes of itinerant traveller Destron the mage, as documented in the fan fiction Travels Through Azeroth and Outland. This ongoing, lore-based tale is deep -- deep enough in quantity to have accumulated years' worth of entries, and deep enough in content to be recommended by TVTropes.com. ATTENTION, ARTISTS: Submit your own illustration of Travels Through Azeroth's main character, Destron, for a chance to have your art featured here at WoW.com and on the main page of Travels Through Azeroth. Join us after the break for more details.
