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Around Azeroth: Run away!
Reader Sigyn of Grim Batol (EU) offers us this shot from Nagrand, where we see poor Sigyn being chased by a blast from one of the cannons in Forge Camp: Hate. But if you're familiar with the landscape of Nagrand, there's something wrong with this picture... Sigyn doesn't seem to be near either of the forge camps in Nagrand. How did this happen? Apparently with an epic flying mount and a riding crop you can outpace them, and apparently Sigyn had been kiting this one all over Nagrand for fun.Do you have any unusual World of Warcraft images that are just collecting dust in your screenshots folder? Because we'd love to see your idea of the best looking instance on Around Azeroth! Sharing your screenshot is as simple as e-mailing aroundazeroth@wow.com with a copy of your shot and a brief explanation of the scene. You could be featured here next!
New Arena vendors in place and selling their wares
As of this writing, the servers still haven't come back up yet, but apparently when they do, Drysc says we'll have more places to obtain all that Arena gear we're all lusting after. In addition to the Arena 52 vendor, there will be vendors outside the Nagrand and Blade's Edge arenas. And the Crimson Ring (did we ever determine if that was the group actually putting on the Arena fights?), if that is their name, will also have a vendor available in Gadgetzan.Not exactly earthshaking news-- as busy as the vendors were when new stuff went on sale, I don't know that there was much traffic there when things slowed down-- but welcome news to Arena gear purchasers just the same.
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Pleasant patch surprises
Like many WoW players, I was really looking forward to this patch, and by "really", I mean that I was scouring the 'net every day looking for new tidbits of information regarding the upcoming content. Disregarding the new holiday content, we haven't had a decent content update in several months. It seems like ages ago that I was eagerly delving into the, at that time, new Netherwing repuation grind. Now that I've had my drake for nearly six months, it was high time for some new content.Even with all the pre-patch research I did, I need to learn to read the patch notes more carefully, because there were a few things that nonetheless caught me off guard. First of all, I was pleased to discover that my little mistake the other day was reversed, since the cooldown on Nexus transformations has been removed. I was also surprised by other little things, like the new log in the guild pane that records promotions/demotions and players joining/leaving the guild. And, of course, as always on patch day, people see things that they never noticed before and wonder if they were added in the update. I saw what I thought were some new planets in the sky above Nagrand this evening (pictured above), but my guildies assure me that they were always there. There were lots of other little interesting things that took me by surprise, and that's one of the things that I love best about new content -- the simple joy of discovery in a game I've been playing non-stop for three years.How about you? Anything catch you by surprise today?
Around Azeroth: Your favorite Nagrand shot
Keturakk of Twisting Nether sends in this shot taken of that incredible Nagand sky -- and though we've seen it before, I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. The Blizzard design crew really outdid themselves in Nagrand. In this particular shot we see something else we've seen before: the skeleton of a large beast, trapped forever in a flying island. However, I have to say that this shot's particular composition catches everything that's fascinating about Nagrand in one quick glance -- what do you think? Do you have a preferred Nagrand image?Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing a copy to aroundazeroth@wow.com, with as much or as little detail as you'd like to share with the world! %Gallery-1816%
Don't forget your gems!
Since it's the first of the month (or close enough), those of you with Consortium rep (which would be roughly anyone over level 60) should remember to fly out to Aeris Landing in Nagrand and visit Gehze for your monthly lot of free gems. The better your rep, the more gems you get, and the more likely they are to be blue-quality. Both of my high-level characters are merely honored, so I got a couple of Unmarked Sacks of Gems, each containing three or four uncut green-quality gems. Not huge, but hey, a few extra gold never hurt, and it's certainly enough to be worth flying out for every month. Blizzard originally had plans to have the gems come in the mail, but that was buggy and they ultimately scrapped it in favor of a monthly quest.The different rewards, depending on your Consortium reputation, are: Friendly: Gem Stuffed Envelope Honored: Unmarked Sack of Gems Revered: Bulging Sack of Gems Exalted: Bag of Premium Gems Maybe it's time to start grinding Consortium rep...any tips on that? Also, jewelcrafters, do you see a spike in your business around the beginning of the month? Just curious.
Around Azeroth: Stupid mount tricks
Reader Sader of Stormreaver (EU) sends us this shot taken of... well, the title says it all -- stupid mount tricks in Garadar, Nagrand. Sure, it's really just a graphical glitch in which a tiny piece of the terrain is oddly oriented, but you have to admit: it's not just every day you see a Kodo walking on two legs.Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing a copy to aroundazeroth@wow.com, with as much or as little detail as you'd like to share with the world! %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: Sunrise over Zangarmarsh
Reader Pete sends us this screenshot take in flight between Zangarmarsh and Nagrand. I honestly have to wonder if Pete's tweaked the colors on this image a bit, because the color scheme is very washed out -- reminiscent of neither Nagrand or Zangarmarsh. The particular angle of the sun, maybe?Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing a copy to aroundazeroth@wow.com, with as much or as little detail as you'd like to share with the world! %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: Above Garadar
Reader Kerri sends us this well-composed shot taken in Nagrand. Instead of capturing a more typical image of Nagrand's incredible skyscape or looking down on its lovely greenery, this image looks above one of the buildings of Garadar and to one of Nagrand's many floating islands. And though the island's color, when seen from this angle, is little more than a bland brown, you can easily see one noteworthy item -- a preserved skeleton buried in the dirt. Of this fossil, Kerri notes that the Explorer's League might be interested.. Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: Gone Fishin'
Reader Kalima of Dalvengyr sends in this shot of a relaxing evening of fishing in Nagrand on the elemental plateau. Though Kalima suggests that the fishing chair makes the process look easy, anyone who's trained fishing knows how time-consuming a task it can be. (Plus it looks like you would occasionally need to pack up your chair and dodge elementals, which, if nothing else, would add a bit of excitement to the task.) Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Holla for Halaa
Blizzard has posted a helpful page of tips on how to run, in my opinion, the best setup of organized World PvP so far: Halaa, the conquerable city in Nagrand.The tips are pretty straightforward: stick together (team-- where's my CS homies at?), do as much bombing as you can before heading into the town, and make sure, once you've liberated Halaa from its evil oppressors, that you stick around to keep control and defend against any counterattacks. One thing I like about Halaa is that the Wyverns make it super easy for even lower geared players to join the fight and make a real difference. Plus, the layout is done well, and I like, as we heard at BlizzCon, that Blizzard went with a pretty persistent reward-- it's no fun to conquer something just to lose it again in 5 minutes.And Halaa, surely, will serve as a model for the next big noninstanced PvP zone coming in Wrath of the Lich King, Lake Wintergrasp. Blizzard hasn't actually designed the zone yet, but they did share their goals with us-- multiple targets and rewards, a persistent effect, and of course while Halaa doesn't have them, siege weapons will make an appearance as well.So if you haven't tried Halaa yet, definitely check it out. From everything we've heard, this kind of thing is the future of where World PvP is headed.
A guide to BC pre-raid goals and how to achieve them
I'm a little compulsive about finishing every quest in a zone. Ok, ok, I'm certifiably compulsive about it. I love exploring all the various corners of a zone and learning their dangers and rewards. Because of this, I barely got through half of the Outlands solo content before I hit L70. After thoroughly enjoying Hellfire Peninsula, Zangarmarsh, Terokkar Forest and having just a taste of Nagrand and Blade's Edge, I hit the level cap. Why should I continue?Starryknight of the Executus server has an excellent answer: completing every Outland quest and running through every dungeon will net you the 5,000 gold for your epic mount, gain the necessary reputation to access later parts of the game and get you keyed for both the Heroic dungeons and Karahzhan. Essentially, you will be ready to jump into the raiding game, if you so desire.To achieve this, he wrote up a general guide on what to do in every Outland zone with links to more specific information about the quest chains for each area. For me, this is what I needed to push on and continue exploring the wonders that Warcraft still has to offer for people already at the level cap. Even if you don't intend to raid, the goal of buying an epic mount is reward enough. Check it out, it may be what you are looking for to refocus your goals in the game if you find your motivation has flagged.
Around Azeroth: Sky over Nagrand
Tlithralas sends us this shot of the sun setting over the Elemental Plateau in Nagrand. Though somehow the sunshine seems to stop in a distant purple haze below the clouds. That haze doesn't look like clouds or hilltops to me, but the sun certainly doesn't pierce it... However, a lovely shot despite potential inconsistencies. Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: Between Zangarmarsh and Nagrand
Who would have guessed that the dividing line between zones was so sharp? The landscape goes straight from the deep blues and purples of Zangarmarsh to the mellow browns and greens of Nagrand. And if you find this shot to be as interesting as I do, you've got to thank Trippy, who captured this image from flying mount.Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Big changes at Challe's home for little tykes
Challe's home for little tykes has long been one of my favorite locations in Outlands. Cute babies, hidden secrets, an intimation of something horrible happening -- what's not to love? I did feel sort of bad for the tiny Horde babies, left in their bassinets or spinning forever on the merry-go-round until they grew up enough to either play with the explosives in the sandbox, get stuck in the cage behind the orphanage, or realize that there are like ten Horde babies and one night elf and begin a very short baby war. So I was happy today to discover that Blizzard has secretly put in some changes at the mountain orphanage. For one, Challe (a blue-haired female troll) is back from wherever she was, and is actually watching her charges -- she even admonished me to be quiet or risk waking them up. They also added in some toddlers -- a human boy named Chaddo and a blood elf girl named Sa'rah chase each other around while an orc girl hides in the massive dinosaur skeleton in the sandbox. I always love to see Blizzard adding in little Easter Eggs for explorers like this, although I still wonder why there's bloodstains and skeletons all around the area. What do you think Challe's up to? Are those tauren babies becoming hunter pet food?
Around Azeroth: Sunrise over Nagrand
This skyscape, sent in by reader Martine of Darkspear (EU), is a bit different from the standard Nagrand sky. Instead of the typical deep purple dotted with stars and streaked with the brilliant colors that seem to be the trademark of skys throughout Outland, we see a brilliant sunrise making the typical Nagrand skyscape fade out in the background.Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: Oshu'gun from above
Reader Tom sends in this excellent view of Oshu'gun, in Nagrand, from above. Oshu'gun has a fascinating history -- a crashed Naaru ship inhabited by the the Naaru K'ure, it has been a sacred place to the area's Orcs in the past, as the spirits of their ancestors came to Oshu'gun to commune with K'ure. But at present, you will find Oshu'gun less welcoming, as it is teeming with minions of the Shadow Council. (For a full account of Oshu'gun's history, check WoWWiki.) Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: An underwater tomb
Yrael of Darkspear (EU) sends in this shot of an underwater tomb in Lake Sunspring in Nagrand. I find the chains to be especially ominous. Why, after all, would you need to chain a tomb down? However, I can't find any specific lore on this little artifact, so its origin and purpose remains a mystery.Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Happy Midsummer Fire Festival!
Yup, the festival of flame is appearing in Azeroth starting today through July 5th. There will be bonfires in the cities, new quests to be run, and new rewards to be had (Toasted Smorc is some tasty stuff, and that +44 healing is nice, too). And of course, coming next week around July 4th, the fireworks will fly over Azeroth's cities yet again.I'm kind of excited to see what new stuff there will be to find in Outland-- I especially enjoyed the new Children's Week stuff this year (even though it took long enough to show up), and so I wonder how they celebrate Midsummer Fire in Nagrand or Shattrath. Can you imagine what fireworks would be like in Netherstorm, if they indeed have exhibits up there? Should be cool-- or in this case, hot.Enjoy the Midsummer Fire Festival-- I'll see you out by the bonfires.
Around Azeroth: The Nagrand Falls
In what is becoming a continuing series of waterfall-related posts, I bring you The Nagrand Falls, just outside Shattrath City, courtesy of Dibbs on Shadowsong (EU). And regardless of where the water may or may not be coming from, it's a lovely shot of some of the amazing scenery to be found in Outland.Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: But where does the water come from?
Around Azeroth has looked at plenty of waterfalls before. And why not? They tend to be scenic views wherever in the World of Warcraft they come from. However, the waterfall we're looking at today is a bit different from any we've looked at before -- because unlike the ordinary waterfalls of Azeroth, this one has no apparent source of water. After all, a stream can hardly flow to an island floating in mid-air, can it? So where's that water coming from? Reader Boterham of Drek'Thar (EU), who sent us this shot, wonders too. Anyone in the audience care to take a stab at guessing how the Outland ecosystem works?Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
