The Dungeons: 1-5

The first dungeon I set foot in on Audrid was actually Deadmines. I ported in to find the group already ahead of me, the tank nearly dead and pulling more, the balance druid calling me out for not healing while I wasn't even in the dungeon yet. I was level 16. This was my first dungeon on this toon. I was not about to cope with the abuse that I could feel coming if I decided to stay with this group. So I said a quick word about not pulling before your healer is there and bailed.

Hello 30 minute deserter debuff. Goodbye happy fun healing time.

That one didn't count. I call for a do-over.

So the first dungeon I completed on Audrid was Ragefire Chasm. You have to try really hard to mess that dungeon up. Sometimes, when I look back on it, I feel jealous of all those years the Horde had keeping this instance to themselves. It has to be the best starter instance ever. Deadmines for a beginner is much, much harder, imho.

Dungeon number two was Deadmines. I was nervous so I started out warning the group that I might be a little shaky on the heals, and asked them to please bear with me. It turned out I had nothing to worry about. This was another smooth run with kind folks to boost my fragile healing ego.

Dungeon number three was Wailing Caverns. An hour and a half of Wailing Caverns, because I was the only one who had any kind of clue how to navigate, which means we got pretty lost. But everyone stuck with it and we had some playful banter as we went through, as well as a few bio breaks. Although this was not as painful as some WC runs I've had, I still absolutely hate this instance, almost as much as I hate BRD, but that's another story for a different time.

Dungeon number four was another Wailing Caverns. This one went much more smoothly since I had just done it I remembered where everything was and was able to guide us through.

Dungeon number 5 was Shadowfang Keep. Oh, how I love to hate SFK! It's my favorite and my least favorite dungeon all rolled up into one. We did just fine all the way up until Godfrey. When we wiped 3 people bailed including the tank. The next tank in new exactly how to handle the Godfrey fight and taught us. It was beautiful and I can't thank Notapally of Echo Isles enough for being such an awesome tank and being patient with this newb healer who didn't know how to do it.

At this point Audrid was level 21, and looking pretty awesome in her kilt. All in all, not too shabby for pure pugs.

Stay tuned for dungeons 6-10, coming soon.

Quick pug stats: Tanks - 2 Warriors, 2 Bears, 2 Paladins.
                         Ranged - 3 Hunters, 2 Mages, 1 Balance Druid, 1 Warlock.
                         Melee - 2 Rogues, 2 Warriors, 2 Kitty Druids, 1 Paladin, 1 Shaman.
                         Wipes - 1 to Godfrey in SFK.      

I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face

She almost makes the day begin.
I've grown accustomed to the tune that
She whistles night and noon.
Her smiles, her frowns,
Her ups, her downs
Are second nature to me now;
Like breathing out and breathing in.
I was serenely independent and content before we met;
Surely I could always be that way again-
And yet
I've grown accustomed to her look;
Accustomed to her voice;
Accustomed to her face. 

Alan Jay Lerner from My Fair Lady

There's been a bubble of people who have left WoW and the WoW blogging community recently. The two that have had the most impact on this lonely little blogger are the loss of Jaedia of Jaedia's Menagerie and Ardol of WoW Philosophized.

I don't want to put a guilty burden on these folks for leaving. That is not the intention of this post. I truly wish them all the joy in the world in whatever they move onto next. But they are going to be missed.

I know what you're thinking. People come and go in WoW all the time. What does it matter that these two have left? No doubt, in time two more will pop up to take their place. Still it leaves me in a sort of melancholy state. Its a bittersweet happiness or a semi-sweet bitterness. I don't know exactly what it is, but I feel the same way everytime someone I've cared about has gone away, whether it be IRL or in a game. The strongest regrets that I have are the ones about losing those closest to me.

I'm not going to say that these two were close and dear friends, but you don't read someone's words day after day for over a year and not somehow feel close to them.

I've read each of their posts about why they are leaving. Each is well written and well thought out. I can understand the reasoning, and yet, there is a part of me that never will truly understand (at least not until I feel the same way).

It worries me that some day down the road I will be in their shoes, saying my goodbyes to WoW and the blogging community I've grown to love so much. I can't even think about quitting WoW right now, let alone the unique community that blogs about it.

I can't even imagine what my life would be like without WoW and without my blog. I think I'd be a little bit less happy. Today I'm feeling a little bit less happy to see some friends say goodbye.

Lady in Gold?

At the entrance to the Pig and Whistle in Stormwind's Old Town, there is a picture of a beautiful human woman in gleaming golden armor. Who is she? Why is her picture there? Has it always been there?

I've searched Wowpedia and Wowhead and various other WoW sites for information on this, and have come up with nothing.

There are two scenarios that seem to fit to me.

1. She was the owner, daughter or wife of the owner, or some other kind of relative to the owner of this fine establishment. However, there is nothing in game to back this up. None of the NPCs in the bar mention her, and there is no one in the bar that looks like her.

2. This is an image of Lady Luck (otherwise known as Lady RNG), and I should be spending my spare time worshiping in this holy place (in other words gambling), in order to increase my reputation with this Goddess.

What do you fine folks think? Does anyone have any information that I haven't been able to find?