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Breakfast Topic: Do you have any lucky charms?
Or, as the grummles would call them, do you have a luckydo? Is there an item you own in WoW that drips with superstition, something that you're absolutely sure makes you perform better, even if it only sits in your bags? In years past, we've discussed this once or twice before, and my lucky charm has remained the same despite it being locked away on a character I don't often play anymore. The Shard of the Fallen Star saw me through many boss battles throughout the years. During progression raiding, when we'd get stuck on a rough boss, I'd equip that trinket -- despite the stat loss as a result of wearing it -- and drop a big ol' meteor on the boss's head. Voice chat would erupt in giggles, and despite the distraction, somehow we'd win. There was no power in the world that could withstand the Shard. It reached the point where my raidmates would ask me to equip it when the going got tough. And it worked. Every time. Do you have such a charm? Any raiding rituals that just seem to work even when they shouldn't?
Know Your Lore: Why do we fight?
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. Azeroth is a volatile land fraught with conflict. In recent years of history, this conflict has been highlighted by the battle between Alliance and Horde, a seemingly never-ending struggle that began the moment the orcs made their way through the Dark Portal and began attacks on the Eastern Kingdoms in earnest. But prior to the orcs, there were still wars to contend with. In early days, pandaren rose up against mogu, troll against aqir. Kaldorei against Burning Legion, and against each other in the process. It almost seems as though Azeroth's destiny is one that is irrevocably tied to war -- we're destined to fight, regardless of who we are, or what we happen to be fighting. But why do the Alliance and Horde continue to fight? They've worked together in the past, and yet it seems that every time they are close to some sort of peaceful resolution, they are drawn once more to war. What's making the Alliance and Horde so aggressive this time around?
Know Your Lore: The meddling of the Mogu Part 2 - Grummles
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. It's been a rough week for me, so I'll just say this - I don't know how you could hate the grummles. Their origin - created by the mogu out of troggs - means that not only are they one of the few intelligent races on Azeroth made both by another race native to the planet but from another intelligent race, but they also illustrate some interesting flaws and aspects to the mogu and their thinking. The mogu, upon discovering the troggs in the mountains of what would become Pandaria, decided to improve them. What's fascinating is how they chose to improve them. In looking at the grummles, what we are looking at is the perfection of the aspects of the trogg that the mogu saw as worthwhile. So when we see that the grummles can move heavy loads at reasonable speed over long distances, that they have acute senses of smell and unerring senses of direction, we see that these were the aspects of the trogg that the mogu sought to amplify. Physically, at least, the grummles were a success. Well, one could argue that they failed when it came to being strong in order to crush the mogu's enemies - modern grummles aren't even capable of fighting off the hozen that plague them. It's clear that the grummles possess great endurance and the capacity to carry heavy loads long distances, making them excellent at packing and hauling. They clearly have strong senses of direction, dating back to their original uses in supplying the slaves laboring to erect the Serpent's Spine.
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Kun-Lai Summit
Kun-Lai Summit is the fourth zone in Mists of Pandaria. Located north of the Veiled Stair, Kun-Lai Summit holds tons of questing hubs, a unique world boss, and a dramatic variation in scenery along the way. The zone is huge -- it feels just as massive, if not more so, than the Jade Forest. Both Alliance and Horde will filter in through the same entrance, but where you go from there is completely up to you. There is both an Alliance and a Horde settlement of sorts in Kun-Lai, but you'll find you're doing far more for the locals than you are for your respective factions. As far as the story is concerned, Kun-Lai Summit has a ton of different quest chains to choose from, and the stories behind the chains are just as varied as Kun-Lai's scenery. Whether you're exploring the secrets of Pandaria's past, gaining favor with the Shado Pan, checking out the majestic Temple of the White Tiger, or just helping the friendly and charming grummels, Kun-Lai Summit should keep you more than occupied until at least level 88, if not all the way to 89. For a sneak peek of Kun-Lai's scenery, take a look at our preview gallery. %Gallery-159217% It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
The Queue: So can you
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. Many of the people who see this NPC in the Mists of Pandaria beta immediately yell "...can cook!" It warms my heart. Revynn asked: The new Mantid dungeon looks a suspicious amount like AQ40. Do we know if the Mantid are "cousins" to the Qiraji and Nerubians (Insectoid servants of an old god) or are they their own deal?
