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  • World of WarCrafts: Blizzard fan fiction runner-up Corwin D. Riddle

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    05.12.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Sentinel Hill, nestled in Westfall, was a zone filled with sorrow and conflict in vanilla World of Warcraft. Part of it was the harsh and unforgiving landscape, unsuitable for farming; but the majority of the conflict lay in the hands of Edwin VanCleef, leader of the Defias Brotherhood, a band of thieves and scoundrels that preyed upon any who were foolish enough to roam the roads of Westfall unprotected. The story of the Defias Brotherhood is fairly well known, but we know little of the events surrounding Edwin's decision to defy Stormwind nobility and take matters into his own hands. Defiant, a story by Corwin D. Riddle, explores the little-known origins of Edwin VanCleef's descent into one of the most wanted men in the Eastern Kingdoms. It's an exploration into the events that directly resulted in the Brotherhood's formation, including an appearance by Lady Katrana Prestor and the rest of the House of Nobles and their confrontation with the leader of the Stonemasons. But it's also a beautiful look into the fall of VanCleef, from leader of a guild of architects, builders, and engineers to the leader of a rebel band of mercenaries out for the pay they were denied.

  • World of WarCrafts: Blizzard fan fiction runner-up Saif Ansari

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    05.05.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. The Lich King may be dead, but the assault on Icecrown Citadel and its fallout will never be forgotten. Over the course of Wrath of the Lich King, many players fought their way through Naxxramas, explored the mysteries of Ulduar, challenged themselves at the Trial of the Crusade and finally scaled the frozen peaks of Icecrown to challenge the Lich King at the foot of the Frozen Throne. But what of those who didn't fight the Lich King face to face? What of those who paved the way, those who dealt with the bodies of the fallen? In Entombed, author Saif Ansari explores the lives of those who weren't warriors on the front lines -- the lives of those who quietly worked behind the scenes, addressing the carnage and preventing as many souls as possible from succumbing to the Lich King's grasp, and the lives of those left alone and abandoned in the midst of battle to fend for themselves. Interesting? Even more interesting is the exploration into the link between Ulduar and Icecrown Citadel, a link many may have overlooked or forgotten.

  • World of WarCrafts: Blizzard fan fiction runner-up Marika Kermode

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    04.28.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. The new race and class combinations in Cataclysm raised a lot of questions and opened a lot of doors as far as the lore and story behind the new combinations. In the case of night elf mages, we were presented with Mordent Evenshade, a member of the Shen'dralar who ventured into Darnassus to seek the help of Tyrande Whisperwind. But how and why did Mordent make the journey, and how did he handle the chilly reception once he'd arrived? In The Wicked and the Righteous, author Marika Kermode explores just that with a tale about Mordent, the Shen'dralar, and the hope of an alliance. It's an interesting take on the scene that played out in the Temple of the Moon months before Cataclysm's release -- and unlike the scene in game, Mordent isn't left to eternally beg for an audience with Tyrande Whisperwind. It's a tale of two factions and the still-smoldering, leftover preconceptions from a war that occurred 10,000 years ago.

  • World of WarCrafts: Blizzard fan fiction runner-up Meghan O'Hara

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    04.21.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. What is it that makes a Forsaken a Forsaken, and what keeps him from giving up and letting go? A few weeks ago, we interviewed 2010 Global Writing Contest runner up Celine Taillefer, whose story In the Blood told the tale of Blood Queen Lana'thel and her place in Icecrown Citadel. This week, we have a story of a different kind, one that explores the link between Scourge and Forsaken and what happens when that link is broken. In the story Fresh, author Meghan O'Hara tells the chilling tale of once simple farmer Henry Walker and his development from mindless fiend of the Scourge armies to Forsaken priest. It's an eerie, well-written exploration into what exactly keeps an undead man sane and what drives him to continue waking up and moving on day after day. But beyond that, Fresh is an unlikely, strange and beautiful love story and a look into the interaction between the undead and the powers of the Light.

  • World of WarCrafts: Chocolate Celebration Cake

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    04.14.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. What makes a proper celebration? Cake, and lots of it! Wrath of the Lich King introduced a lot of new content and a lot of new food, including cakes and pies that were designed to be shared. Today's cooking experiment may look complicated as all get-out, but it's actually incredibly easy to construct using store-bought mix and some secret ingredients to doctor it to perfection. Check out the gallery below for a step-by-step illustrated guide, and follow us to the kitchen after the break to get started with this chocolate masterpiece! %Gallery-121173%

  • World of WarCrafts: Sera's colorful take on WoW

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    04.07.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. I love getting fan art submissions for World of WarCrafts, not just because everyone who sends in material is ridiculously talented, but because it's fun to see different people's interpretations of what Warcraft looks like. Today, we've got an artist with a flair for several different styles of artwork and several different ways of looking at WoW. Sera's unique perspective on WoW looks almost as if the models in game were breathed with a life of their own. From the rich colors to the effortlessly detailed weapons and armor, it's clear Sera's got a knack for art -- something that comes as no surprise, given her academic background. Take a peek at the gallery for more of Sera's work, and follow us after the break for a few words from Sera herself. %Gallery-120504%

  • World of WarCrafts: Blizzard fan fiction runner-up Celine Taillefer

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    03.31.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. We talked a few weeks ago about the art of fan fiction, stories written about characters in the setting of a pre-established world. Last year, Blizzard held a Global Writing Contest -- the second of its kind -- for fan fiction authors around the world to share their works involving Blizzard properties. The response was enormous, with stories submitted totalling 18 million words worth of fictional prose -- an astonishing amount of written material. The winner of the Global Writing Contest received a trip to Blizzard's headquarters among other prizes, and the runners-up received a ton of Blizzard books as a reward for their writing efforts. So what's it like writing a submission for a winning contest entry? Today we chat with runner-up Celine Taillefer, whose entry In the Blood involved the most unlikely of protagonists, Blood Queen Lana'thel, the ringleader in charge of the Blood Wing in Icecrown Citadel.

  • World of WarCrafts: Aly's whimsical Warcraft world

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    03.24.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. The Warcraft universe is generally seen as a fairly dark place. With Old Gods and evil dragons bent on global explosions, bloodthirsty battles between Alliance and Horde, and the Burning Legion knocking down Azeroth's door, it's hard to picture Azeroth as anything but dark. But sometimes all it takes is a second look to find the whimsical side of Warcraft, and today's featured artist has done just that. Aly, a video game artist, has captured Warcraft in a manner that's much less "war" and a lot more "craft." Her illustrations manage to be light, airy, and fun while at the same time capturing the essence of iconic Warcraft races and characters in images that are effortless and brilliantly charming. Take a look through the gallery for a peek at Aly's images of WoW, and follow us after the break for a few words from the artist herself. %Gallery-119557%

  • World of WarCrafts: Revisting the WoW Soundtrack Project

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    03.17.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Tired of hearing the same old tracks in Warcraft instances? Last year, we visited with WoW-playing composer Jejin (The Venture Co. [US-H]), who created a library of original compositions for various vanilla WoW instance zones. The Warcraft Soundtrack Project was a method of replacing old world tracks with new pieces, all created by Jejin himself. When we left Jejin, he was working on a way to make his tracks actually playable in game, and now he's come up with an answer. Jejin created the Jejin Soundtrack Project, a sound pack addon to be used in conjunction with the Soundtrack addon. Though not without its bugs, the addon finally lets players listen to Jejin's original tunes while running their favorite old world instances, including Dire Maul, Blackfathom Deeps, Ragefire Chasm and Wailing Caverns. For those looking for a break from the usual Blizzard tunes, Jejin's work offers a refreshing new perspective on what the music of these old world instances could be. Follow us after the break as we catch up with Jejin, find out what he's been up to, and also find out what kind of musical plans he has for the future.

  • World of WarCrafts: Chocolate Cookie

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    03.10.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Has today been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day? Would you like to feel better? We've got a recipe that will do just that -- or so the flavor text says. Today we're getting our hands dirty with some Cataclysm cooking in the form of the Chocolate Cookie. While the in game version may make you feel a little better, a warm plate of these may make you feel substantially better ... possibly even a lot better. Thankfully, though the in-game version takes a cooking skill of 505, the real-life version is considerably easier to make. Let's get to the kitchen and start baking!

  • World of WarCrafts: Guide to fan fiction

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    03.03.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Of all the various and assorted Warcraft-related crafting that people do, there is none quite as prolific as the world of Warcraft fan fiction. Artwork, jewelry making and knitted crafts require at least some small amount of artistic talent, cake and cookie decorating take at least a rudimentary knowledge of baking basics, and things like music, home decorating, and other projects require creators to know an incredible amount of information about their various areas of expertise. But with fan fiction, all it takes is a piece of paper and a pen (or a computer and a word processing program) and your imagination.

  • World of WarCrafts: Warcraft tattoos

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    02.24.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Tattoos can be fun, if painful. Sometimes they act as reminders of special times in our lives; sometimes they are odes to people or things that we love. I have a couple myself, though none Warcraft-inspired as of yet. I keep thinking about that Horde symbol, though ... Today on World of WarCrafts, we've got a few updates to our Warcraft tattoo gallery and a few words from Eldomon of <Skull marks the Treasure> from the Darkmoon Faire server (EU-H). Check out the gallery below for the new additions as well as tattoos from times past, and follow us after the break for more! %Gallery-40471%

  • World of WarCrafts: Crocheted WoW pets and the crafting of Cristy Rowley

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    02.17.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. I'm not handy with crocheting or knitting at all, which makes me just a little more wistful and a little more curious about learning the process every time we see tiny crocheted critters here on World of WarCrafts. Today there are not one, but two -- a tiny reproduction of Speedy the Turtle, pictured above, and everyone's favorite Love is in the Air darling, the Toxic Wasteling. Both critters were created by Cristy Rowley, a master of crafts who doesn't just stick to crochet. She's got an assortment of other WoW craft projects under her belt! While currently on break from WoW, that hasn't stopped her crafting in the slightest. Cristy's works can be found on Tossed Cookies, a blog centered on the art of crafting. Judging from projects like crocheted critters in tiny boxes to earrings and more, Cristy's got a lot of crafting experience. Check out the gallery for a glimpse at Cristy's various Warcraft pieces, and follow us after the break for a few words from Cristy about her handiwork, as well as how you can make a real life Warcraft pet to call your own. %Gallery-116800%

  • World of WarCrafts: Cozy knitted troll mohawk hat by Anreha

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    02.10.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. I don't know about the rest of the world, but out where I live, I just got a good 6 inches of snow dumped on me. According to the groundhog, spring was supposed to come early this year, but apparently "early" doesn't equal today -- either that or the groundhog's a liar. Hopefully there isn't any more snow on the way, but even if it doesn't snow again soon, it's still freezing outside. With that in mind, today's World of WarCrafts looks like something that would be incredibly welcome while venturing out there in the cold: a warm, knitted hat made to mimic the style of trolls and their outrageous mohawks. This warm and fuzzy creation was put together by Anreha of the guild <Stonewall Misfits> on Proudmoore (US-A), and we were lucky enough to catch a few words with Anreha about the creation of the hat. Follow along after the break for more from Anreha!

  • World of WarCrafts: Good enough to eat

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    02.03.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Aw, isn't that the most adorable little red dragon? And it's completely edible! Back in December, we had a submission from the Russian fansite Noob Club. The fansite ran a contest surrounding the launch of Cataclysm and asked participants to bake a confectionery delight centered around the launch of the new expansion. Over 40 cakes were sent in, and while we featured a few of them in our cake gallery, there were plenty more to be seen! From little dragons to murlocs perched on pies to pyrotechnical displays of volcanic activity, the chefs over at Noob Club really pulled out all the stops for this contest. Check out the gallery for more from Noob Club, and take a peek at the original contest thread while you're at it! %Gallery-31459% Whether it's tasty cakes, gorgeous fan art, tuneful music or crafty projects, we'd love to hear from you! Send in your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired projects to anne@wowinsider.com, and show us your creative side! World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including arts and crafts, fan art, WoW-themed recipes, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself by emailing anne@wowinsider.com with your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired creations.

  • World of WarCrafts: Tasty Cupcake

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    01.27.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Before we get started today, I'd like to make a formal request -- send in your crafts! Whether it be fan art, music, cakes, plush animals or action figures, we'd love to see your not-for-profit, crafty interpretations of World of Warcraft. We'll take anything, although I'll have you know that I personally would love to see some more World of Warcraft tattoos. They may not be super-crafty, exactly, but our gallery of Warcraft tattoos is pretty out of date. Send them in! On to the crafts! Today, we've got a ... unique recipe. Most recipes featured on this site have been given raid references; the more complex the recipe, the harder the raid. Today's recipe is a different animal entirely -- a solo quest, if you will, suitable for both experienced raiders and new players alike. The Tasty Cupcake doesn't serve any real purpose in game other than making the player happy, and this real-life version serves the same purpose -- with a twist. Throw out your typical perception of what a tasty cupcake ought to be, because today we're bringing you tasty cake -- in a cup! Let's head to the kitchen and make the fastest cake you've ever seen!

  • World of WarCrafts: A custom bathroom fit for a Warchief

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    01.20.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Move over, Bath Crashers! We've featured music and artwork, cakes, custom plush critters and action figures ... but I don't think we've ever had anything of quite this scope here on World of WarCrafts. Today for your perusal, a Horde-inspired bathroom remodel courtesy of husband/wife team Ragnaorc and Yezenda from the guild <Hammer of Thrall> on Thorium Brotherhood (US-H). Meticulously crafted, from the leather-hide ceiling all the way down to tiny details like a custom-painted zhevra figurine, this quirky, creative and fun bathroom with a Warcraft twist is one of the most amazing projects I've ever seen. Ragnaorc and Yezenda -- aka Paul and Gloria -- met on Battle.net years ago, and the bathroom remodel is a reflection of their love for Blizzard games. Paul sat down with us and answered a few questions about this extraordinary room, its creation, and a little background behind the team that put it together. Check out the gallery for more pictures, and follow us after the break for more from Paul! %Gallery-114625%

  • World of WarCrafts: Soft Banana Bread

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    01.13.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Monkeys, monkeys, monkeys! Cataclysm introduced a new fuzzy friend for our hunters out there. The monkey class is an adorable one, if sometimes ill-tempered. Monkeys are easily fed with fruit and fungus, but what does the hunter on the go do when the bananas start going bad? Rather than let them rot into oblivion and stink up your bags, how about making a loaf or two of soft, delicious banana bread? Fruit doesn't just have to be for your primate pal! A word of warning, however -- your monkey may not eat all the bananas in your bag, but your friends might devour this banana bread before you can properly store it. Let's head to the kitchen and get cooking after the break, shall we?

  • World of WarCrafts: Tales from the Murloc Nursery

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    01.06.2011

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. We seem to be on a plush kick of sorts lately, but today's World of WarCrafts isn't so much about the plush critters (standard Blizzard toys) as it is about the world surrounding them. Today's crafter Doro, otherwise known as MurlocMama, has taken the little plush murlocs and given them an entire world of their own. Doro contacted us recently wanting to share her website and craft creations: I wanted to direct your attention to the pictures in my blog, which is unfortunately in German, but all the photos do speak for themselves, telling of absurd and loveable little creations and a huge crush on WoW's murloc babies. I have been playing WoW intensely since the release of The Burning Crusade and from the beginning liked the cuddly murloc babies immensely. Our two little daughters found them irresistible, too, and so the first pair moved in with us, imported for a lot of money from the U.S. eBay, as you could not buy them at the Blizz shop back then. Cute creatures! I got hooked, and started to think about making things for them ... And taking pictures, where ever we and the murloc babies went. By now, I enjoy making things "murlocky," be it for or about murlocs, using various crafts like felting and sewing, for family and friends, and presenting them in the blog as belonging to a fictional nursery for orphaned murloc babies. From sweaters to booties to tadpoles to murloc-feet cookie cutters, Doro's blog, Tales from the Murloc Nursery, has a little bit of everything craft-related. Take a look through the gallery for a glimpse at Doro's creations, and follow us after the break for a few words with the MurlocMama herself! %Gallery-112674%

  • World of WarCrafts: Huggable plush troll by Jezika

    by 
    Anne Stickney
    Anne Stickney
    12.30.2010

    World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. He's snuggable and huggable and oh, so cute! The troll plush pictured above was a Christmas present from player Jezika to her boyfriend Yajirushi. Both players hail from <Moderately Epic> of Sargeras (US-H), but there is nothing moderate about this plush toy at all. From the careful stitching on the tabard to the painstakingly placed hair, it's obvious this little guy took a lot of time and a lot of ingenuity. Jezika was kind enough to take a few minutes and chat with us about the creation of the plush. Take a peek at the gallery for a glimpse into the toy-making process, and follow us after the break for a few words with its creator. %Gallery-112186%