“STOP!” The shouted order came into the room like a roaring wind. The frightened guard that had retreated only minutes earlier now seemed to have an air of power about him. His pride outweighed his order as Zander continued towards the fireplace without hearing the order. Many more guards flooded into the room but they kept their swords sheathed. They looked to one another questioning their ability to bring the giant down without a combined use of force. They all let out a yell in unison and began to jump and grapple at the giant.
“Rats!” Zander belts out a curse as another guard grabs onto his leg. “I don’t see why you insist on grabbing onto me. You will only serve the purpose of scuffing this nice marble floor.” He takes another step, dragging two guards from his legs and one over his shoulders. Another guard swiftly latches onto one arm, and then another on his other arm.
“Come on!” Beasley yells from his hiding place.
“I am trying; this is among my heaviest load I have ever had to carry.” Zander’s brow furrows as yet another guard grabs him around the waist. “Six guards and two treasure chests, let’s see you carry such a burden!”
“Well met, friend. But why drag others behind me when I can escape without facing them.”
As yet another guard latches to the legs of the guard around Zander’s waist. “True, but you could never dream to carry away to hoard I carry on my shoulders.” He continues to take steps, each one slightly more labored than the last. The large mass of bodies makes its way finally to the fireplace. Zander drops the first chest to the ground and kicks it towards the opening. Beasley makes short work of pulling it into the tunnel.
Like a dog emerging from a pool of water, Zander shook and each guard in turn fell to the ground. “I have had enough of this foolishness.” Shaking the last guard off his shoulders, “By Othr’s protection your lives have been spared. Please take my advice and leave.” And with that, Zander drops to his knees and like amole pushing a rock in front of him he slinks into the tunnel with the chest in front of him. Disappearing into the ash waste tunnel, the guards are shocked by the power if the giant. They watch as his feet disappear into the blackness.
“FOLLOW HIM!” The guard from the first battle barked, still standing at the door. “He has our master’s effects. It will be all our heads if they escape.” With that threatening order, the guards in all their armor clattered into the hole after the thief and his packhorse.
Friday, December 25
Friday, December 18
Exploring the pinhole… (Original Fiction by Xan)
After moving the two worm-like creatures off to the side of the pit, the two adventurers got back to the adventure at hand and looked back to the tunnel. Beasley just smiled and winked as he strolled back into the hole, Zander groaned like an old man as he hunched down onto his hands and knees once again and began to shuffle his way back into the constricting tunnel. He pushed his way down the hole with a small light in front of him silhouetting his small friend in front of him.
“Is something burning?” Beasley yelled back to the slow moving giant.
“I smell ash, but it is cold in here.” Zander rubbed along the damp dirt walls. “I think this was once a fire pit.” Zander lifted up his hands and noticed the black muddy ash on his hands.
“Oh, end of the line my friend.” Beasley knocked on a white marble tile-like door. He waved the torch around to look for switches or tripwires. He placed the torch on the damp ground. The torch sputtered as it touched the wall but due to the enchantment placed on it, the torch continued to burn. Beasley dropped to his knees and began to tap on the door. “I don’t think it is trapped.” He pushed the door open slowly as to not make any sound. He winced at the light; Zander also held his hand in front of his face as the bright sunlight flooded into the tunnel.
Beasley examined his surroundings and noticed they were, in fact, inside an ash chute for a very elaborate fireplace. The white marble tile had a slight stain of ash and tar but it looked as though it was cleaned to a sparkling shine after every use, the ash pushed into the hidden tile door, which Beasley was now standing in. He took in his surrounding with his jaw on the floor. The elaborate room spanned out in front of him, the spacious room was tiled with the same marble in the fireplace that sparkled in the sunlight. An elaborate canopy bed decorated the far end of the room; silk sheets decorated with a fire theme flowed over the bed and onto the floor. The orange, red, and yellow sheets made the bed look as though it was on fire. On either side of the elaborate bed were two ornate chests with a carving similar to the dragon emblem embossed on the tavern marauders armor.
Beasley immediately ran for the chests as Zander wormed his way towards the entrance.
“What do you suppose they have in here?” Beasley jumped onto one of the chests on the right hand side of the bed and began fidgeting with the lock. As he replaced his silence with grunts and curses as he tried to break the lock, four guards entered the room from doors on the left and right walls.
“HALT!” The first guard ran into the room and went directly towards the halfling as the small thief dove under the bed. All four guards drew their swords and focused all their attention on the halfling; none of them noticed the half-ogre emerging from the fireplace.
The guards began to slash under the bed, Beasley shrieked. “Zander, I need a little help.”
Zander stood hidden in the darkness of the fireplace and began to pray to Othr. A golden badger appeared and fizzled on the bed. “Damn!” Zander cursed as his summoning seemed to fail; he drew his hammer and prepared to charge into battle.
Beasley jumped out from under the bed and slashed at one of the guards, their shin bracers deflected his initial attack. The guard turned to attack the small rogue but Beasley dove back under the bed for cover. All four guards started to slash at the thief once again; one froze in place as Zander stepped out from the fireplace. “Leave him alone. I may have frozen one of you in place, but I swear by Othr if you continue your attack you will regret your actions.”
Seizing the opportunity of Zander’s distraction, Beasley attacked one of the guards. This time he slashed at the back of the guards’ knee placing a large gash through the leather of his armor. Then Beasley dove back under the bed and shouted. “Could you have waited any longer, I could have been skewered!”
A glowing hammer appeared next to one of the other guards and knocked him squarely on the head, the guard fell to the floor not expecting such a sight. Zander laughed as he stepped towards the bed and the two guards unhindered moved towards him. Beasley leapt out at the limping guard and slashed at his other leg, the guard dropped to the ground in pain. Zander began swinging his hammer with both hands, moving like a tornado while his glowing hammer swung viciously at the other guard. The glowing hammer landed on the frozen guard as Zander followed it and finished off the frozen guard. The uninjured guard yelled for help as he ran out the door. As they stepped over the three downed guards Beasley went right back to the chests. “We have to block the doors and get these out of here. Quick, tie the knobs together!” Beasley makes for the rope in his small pack.
“They open in, Beasley!” Zander said frustrated. “The guards will be here soon, what shall we do?”
“Well,” Beasley stops to think for a moment. He grabs one of the chests by the handle and begins to drag it towards the fireplace. “Are you going to help me or what? We can take these chests and they won’t be able to follow if we hurry.”
Zander just shakes his head and hefts the large chest over his shoulder. He then walks over to the second and throws that one over his other shoulder. He seems to carry them as a baker carries two sacks of flour over his shoulders. The weight of the enormous chests barely seems to encumber this giant of a man as he turns toward the fireplace at the far end of the room. Beasley was already in the small tunnel opening. “Hurry!”
“What if they should come while I carry these? I could be skewered like a wild boar on the run!”
“Don’t you have a spell or something to protect you? I have heard of clerics who can bring safety to those on the run. Those who have an aura of safety.”
“YES! Sanctuary, I remember asking Othr for his protection this morning. I shall remind him.” Zander started walking towards the fireplace, his lips moving but the words were inaudible. A light glow seemed to radiate from the half-ogre as he casually smiled and walked towards Beasley who had already disappeared into the tunnel.
“Is something burning?” Beasley yelled back to the slow moving giant.
“I smell ash, but it is cold in here.” Zander rubbed along the damp dirt walls. “I think this was once a fire pit.” Zander lifted up his hands and noticed the black muddy ash on his hands.
“Oh, end of the line my friend.” Beasley knocked on a white marble tile-like door. He waved the torch around to look for switches or tripwires. He placed the torch on the damp ground. The torch sputtered as it touched the wall but due to the enchantment placed on it, the torch continued to burn. Beasley dropped to his knees and began to tap on the door. “I don’t think it is trapped.” He pushed the door open slowly as to not make any sound. He winced at the light; Zander also held his hand in front of his face as the bright sunlight flooded into the tunnel.
Beasley examined his surroundings and noticed they were, in fact, inside an ash chute for a very elaborate fireplace. The white marble tile had a slight stain of ash and tar but it looked as though it was cleaned to a sparkling shine after every use, the ash pushed into the hidden tile door, which Beasley was now standing in. He took in his surrounding with his jaw on the floor. The elaborate room spanned out in front of him, the spacious room was tiled with the same marble in the fireplace that sparkled in the sunlight. An elaborate canopy bed decorated the far end of the room; silk sheets decorated with a fire theme flowed over the bed and onto the floor. The orange, red, and yellow sheets made the bed look as though it was on fire. On either side of the elaborate bed were two ornate chests with a carving similar to the dragon emblem embossed on the tavern marauders armor.
Beasley immediately ran for the chests as Zander wormed his way towards the entrance.
“What do you suppose they have in here?” Beasley jumped onto one of the chests on the right hand side of the bed and began fidgeting with the lock. As he replaced his silence with grunts and curses as he tried to break the lock, four guards entered the room from doors on the left and right walls.
“HALT!” The first guard ran into the room and went directly towards the halfling as the small thief dove under the bed. All four guards drew their swords and focused all their attention on the halfling; none of them noticed the half-ogre emerging from the fireplace.
The guards began to slash under the bed, Beasley shrieked. “Zander, I need a little help.”
Zander stood hidden in the darkness of the fireplace and began to pray to Othr. A golden badger appeared and fizzled on the bed. “Damn!” Zander cursed as his summoning seemed to fail; he drew his hammer and prepared to charge into battle.
Beasley jumped out from under the bed and slashed at one of the guards, their shin bracers deflected his initial attack. The guard turned to attack the small rogue but Beasley dove back under the bed for cover. All four guards started to slash at the thief once again; one froze in place as Zander stepped out from the fireplace. “Leave him alone. I may have frozen one of you in place, but I swear by Othr if you continue your attack you will regret your actions.”
Seizing the opportunity of Zander’s distraction, Beasley attacked one of the guards. This time he slashed at the back of the guards’ knee placing a large gash through the leather of his armor. Then Beasley dove back under the bed and shouted. “Could you have waited any longer, I could have been skewered!”
A glowing hammer appeared next to one of the other guards and knocked him squarely on the head, the guard fell to the floor not expecting such a sight. Zander laughed as he stepped towards the bed and the two guards unhindered moved towards him. Beasley leapt out at the limping guard and slashed at his other leg, the guard dropped to the ground in pain. Zander began swinging his hammer with both hands, moving like a tornado while his glowing hammer swung viciously at the other guard. The glowing hammer landed on the frozen guard as Zander followed it and finished off the frozen guard. The uninjured guard yelled for help as he ran out the door. As they stepped over the three downed guards Beasley went right back to the chests. “We have to block the doors and get these out of here. Quick, tie the knobs together!” Beasley makes for the rope in his small pack.
“They open in, Beasley!” Zander said frustrated. “The guards will be here soon, what shall we do?”
“Well,” Beasley stops to think for a moment. He grabs one of the chests by the handle and begins to drag it towards the fireplace. “Are you going to help me or what? We can take these chests and they won’t be able to follow if we hurry.”
Zander just shakes his head and hefts the large chest over his shoulder. He then walks over to the second and throws that one over his other shoulder. He seems to carry them as a baker carries two sacks of flour over his shoulders. The weight of the enormous chests barely seems to encumber this giant of a man as he turns toward the fireplace at the far end of the room. Beasley was already in the small tunnel opening. “Hurry!”
“What if they should come while I carry these? I could be skewered like a wild boar on the run!”
“Don’t you have a spell or something to protect you? I have heard of clerics who can bring safety to those on the run. Those who have an aura of safety.”
“YES! Sanctuary, I remember asking Othr for his protection this morning. I shall remind him.” Zander started walking towards the fireplace, his lips moving but the words were inaudible. A light glow seemed to radiate from the half-ogre as he casually smiled and walked towards Beasley who had already disappeared into the tunnel.
Wednesday, December 16
Momoment #18
Hello all,
it has been some time since I have had a chance to make another blog post for many reason.
And that is why I am curious what everyone else has been doing in wow!
So...what have you been doing in wow?
I have noticed that my time has decreased dramatically (compared to years past) because of work (getting home late or needing to get to sleep earlier to get to work earlier), real life things like Thanksgiving and other life events, sickness. When you have coughing up a lung or 2 even wow is not something that can be tolerated at least by me :)
And, at least for me, other games. I have checkout Aion (which I have already cancelled my subscription), played new xbox games like call of duty modern warfare 2 ( very fun game! Im mohalen on there, send a group invite if you want to be a crappy shooter like me :)) and of course my favorites Madden and Civilization IV on the pc.
I have heard other people have grown tired of wow and quit or others that need to quit for personal life reasons. For the first reason, I understand but for me I take a break and have done so many times. This may not be for everyone but quitting cold turkey not sure if that is productive in my opinion.
So please let us know what else have you been doing as we prepare for patch 3.3 to ruin our Tuesday. I am glad that I do work during the day as I know I would go crazy if I was at home and trying to get in wow. Oh and yes I am one of those that cries over addons not working, but dont worry I dont cry too much.
Happy wowing.
--
Mo
it has been some time since I have had a chance to make another blog post for many reason.
And that is why I am curious what everyone else has been doing in wow!
So...what have you been doing in wow?
I have noticed that my time has decreased dramatically (compared to years past) because of work (getting home late or needing to get to sleep earlier to get to work earlier), real life things like Thanksgiving and other life events, sickness. When you have coughing up a lung or 2 even wow is not something that can be tolerated at least by me :)
And, at least for me, other games. I have checkout Aion (which I have already cancelled my subscription), played new xbox games like call of duty modern warfare 2 ( very fun game! Im mohalen on there, send a group invite if you want to be a crappy shooter like me :)) and of course my favorites Madden and Civilization IV on the pc.
I have heard other people have grown tired of wow and quit or others that need to quit for personal life reasons. For the first reason, I understand but for me I take a break and have done so many times. This may not be for everyone but quitting cold turkey not sure if that is productive in my opinion.
So please let us know what else have you been doing as we prepare for patch 3.3 to ruin our Tuesday. I am glad that I do work during the day as I know I would go crazy if I was at home and trying to get in wow. Oh and yes I am one of those that cries over addons not working, but dont worry I dont cry too much.
Happy wowing.
--
Mo
Monday, December 14
Reflections of Patch 3.3
Patch 3.3
What an awesome patch! I will have to say I am still learning all the things that there is to be had about this wonderful new patch, but lets go go over what Ol' Xan has experienced since patch day.
Whining - there has been an awful lot of whining from those that I run in the same circles with. These folks complain that their addons aren't working correctly anymore, or the game has been made too easy. What, do you ask, is my reply? I say one thing: It is a game, if it is no longer fun for you then stop playing. I honestly believe the game gets better with every patch and expansion and I continually love to play it.
The new LFG option within the game - FABULOUS! My gaming experience to this point was solo adventuring because my hours were at odd times server time and sometimes I didn't have the time to wait around while someone in trade chat spammed "N1M (Healer/Tank/DPS) for ~Insert Instance Here~ then GTG" Now what do I get? I click a few key things in the LFG tab and 5 - 10 minutes I am running an instance! WOW! RIGHT ON BLIZZARD! Now if we can just make the window of opportunity from battlegroups to something like two or three battlegroups then we would REALLY be in business! I might finally be able to see the inside of NAXX or heaven forbid ULDUAR!
New badge system - OK, OK, OK... folks complain about how easy it is to get the great gear. No longer is it a JOB to get the items needed to be geared properly for those raids and such. To me I say, THANK YOU BLIZZARD! Again, my time being limited I find it more difficult to find the time to work at the virtual "job" that is WoW and my real life pulls me away from 'gear runs' or this, that and the other where I may not be able to get gear upgrades normally. "Random Heroic Instances" with the badge reward is AWESOME!
So Blizzard, from a player to the game designer... THANKS!
What an awesome patch! I will have to say I am still learning all the things that there is to be had about this wonderful new patch, but lets go go over what Ol' Xan has experienced since patch day.
Whining - there has been an awful lot of whining from those that I run in the same circles with. These folks complain that their addons aren't working correctly anymore, or the game has been made too easy. What, do you ask, is my reply? I say one thing: It is a game, if it is no longer fun for you then stop playing. I honestly believe the game gets better with every patch and expansion and I continually love to play it.
The new LFG option within the game - FABULOUS! My gaming experience to this point was solo adventuring because my hours were at odd times server time and sometimes I didn't have the time to wait around while someone in trade chat spammed "N1M (Healer/Tank/DPS) for ~Insert Instance Here~ then GTG" Now what do I get? I click a few key things in the LFG tab and 5 - 10 minutes I am running an instance! WOW! RIGHT ON BLIZZARD! Now if we can just make the window of opportunity from battlegroups to something like two or three battlegroups then we would REALLY be in business! I might finally be able to see the inside of NAXX or heaven forbid ULDUAR!
New badge system - OK, OK, OK... folks complain about how easy it is to get the great gear. No longer is it a JOB to get the items needed to be geared properly for those raids and such. To me I say, THANK YOU BLIZZARD! Again, my time being limited I find it more difficult to find the time to work at the virtual "job" that is WoW and my real life pulls me away from 'gear runs' or this, that and the other where I may not be able to get gear upgrades normally. "Random Heroic Instances" with the badge reward is AWESOME!
So Blizzard, from a player to the game designer... THANKS!
Friday, December 11
An unexpected surprise… (Original Fiction by Xan)
With Beasley in the lead, they ventured into the small tunnel. Zander had to crawl on his hands and knees; his broad shoulders rubbed the sides of the tunnel as he shuffled along. A short distance ahead of him the small halfling stood upright and casually strolled along whistling and often making comments about the ease in his walk. After a few moments of grueling work to pull himself along, Zander noticed a strange odor. He looked up to see that Beasley had also noticed the smell and was frozen. With an alarming whisper, he ordered the giant behind him, “Back up, back up, back up!” Beasley turned and started pushing the giants’ shoulders. “Hurry, we don’t want to be in here when it reaches us.”
“What reaches us?” The giant queried of his small companion. Nevertheless, before he could answer a sound of sloshing like a wet mop on a stone floor could be heard, the acrid smell of rotting flesh filled their noses. “What is it?”
“I don’t know, but it definitely isn’t friendly!” Beasley started to panic because his large associate was having a hard time backing up in the small quarters.
They reached the opening from the collapsed floor trap just as eight green tentacles started to snatch at them. Zander quickly jumped to his feet and pulled out his hammer. As he did so, the green beast slapped him with its many tentacles. All of his muscles seemed to burn and turn to stone all in the same motion, he could not move as he watched helpless as his small friend dove behind him in an attempt to distract the monster. The thing had eight tentacles and smelled of a rotting corpse. It looked like a green worm with a large mouth and mandibles like a large insect, with the tentacles protruding just above its mouth. Beasley jumped out from behind his tense friend and stabbed at the worm-like creature. He connected and the monster shrieked as it flailed its tentacles in a counter attack but missed the small target dancing around evasively. Finding another opening, the rogue dashed in again and slashed at the worm monster again, this time connecting a little harder. The creature writhed in agony; just then, Zander was able to move his body again and wasted no time finishing off the beast with a staggering slam of his hammer.
“Nothing takes away my ability to move and gets away with it!” Zander wiped the gore from the crushed worm from his face and winked at the thief.
“You need to stop coming to my rescue, I almost had him finished.”
“I couldn’t let you have all the fun dispensing this foul creature, now can I Beasley?” Zander laughed, went to put his hammer away and was struck from behind by another tentacle, this one pulling him off his feet. He fell to the ground with a thunderous crash and his hammer slid to the far end of the hole and just out of reach. The sticky creature tried to hook him and inject its paralyzing sticky film covering its body. Beasley leapt in and began to slash at the monster slapping at Zander’s back. Stabbing and slashing the green slimy creature, all the while Zander scrambled to regain his footing but with both his friend and the beast dueling on his back he could not stand, only grasp for his hammer. Beasley stepped over the monster and let out a cry of anger as he took his short sword in his hand and buried it deep in the monsters head. The monster flopped after having the blade into its head as Zander yelped in pain. Zander leapt up and grabbed his posterior.
“You got your beast and my sensitive spots you fool!” Zander belted out in a spark of broken pride.
“Would you rather…” Beasley laughed. “Would you rather I let it stun you again and eat you for breakfast?”
“Next time watch where you poke that thing.” Zander grumbled. “I will have a hard time walking with a blade through my rear. Let’s remove these things and continue down the tunnel, they cannot be more of these putrid things.” Zander kicked the impaled worm.
They pulled the two beasts from the tunnel by their tentacles away from the opening. Zander scoffed as they dragged the carcasses aside.
“What’s so funny?” Beasley said labored by his efforts.
“It was nice of the creator of these beasts to give them such easy hand holds to drag them away by.” Zander winked at his small friend and the two compatriots laughed together.
“What reaches us?” The giant queried of his small companion. Nevertheless, before he could answer a sound of sloshing like a wet mop on a stone floor could be heard, the acrid smell of rotting flesh filled their noses. “What is it?”
“I don’t know, but it definitely isn’t friendly!” Beasley started to panic because his large associate was having a hard time backing up in the small quarters.
They reached the opening from the collapsed floor trap just as eight green tentacles started to snatch at them. Zander quickly jumped to his feet and pulled out his hammer. As he did so, the green beast slapped him with its many tentacles. All of his muscles seemed to burn and turn to stone all in the same motion, he could not move as he watched helpless as his small friend dove behind him in an attempt to distract the monster. The thing had eight tentacles and smelled of a rotting corpse. It looked like a green worm with a large mouth and mandibles like a large insect, with the tentacles protruding just above its mouth. Beasley jumped out from behind his tense friend and stabbed at the worm-like creature. He connected and the monster shrieked as it flailed its tentacles in a counter attack but missed the small target dancing around evasively. Finding another opening, the rogue dashed in again and slashed at the worm monster again, this time connecting a little harder. The creature writhed in agony; just then, Zander was able to move his body again and wasted no time finishing off the beast with a staggering slam of his hammer.
“Nothing takes away my ability to move and gets away with it!” Zander wiped the gore from the crushed worm from his face and winked at the thief.
“You need to stop coming to my rescue, I almost had him finished.”
“I couldn’t let you have all the fun dispensing this foul creature, now can I Beasley?” Zander laughed, went to put his hammer away and was struck from behind by another tentacle, this one pulling him off his feet. He fell to the ground with a thunderous crash and his hammer slid to the far end of the hole and just out of reach. The sticky creature tried to hook him and inject its paralyzing sticky film covering its body. Beasley leapt in and began to slash at the monster slapping at Zander’s back. Stabbing and slashing the green slimy creature, all the while Zander scrambled to regain his footing but with both his friend and the beast dueling on his back he could not stand, only grasp for his hammer. Beasley stepped over the monster and let out a cry of anger as he took his short sword in his hand and buried it deep in the monsters head. The monster flopped after having the blade into its head as Zander yelped in pain. Zander leapt up and grabbed his posterior.
“You got your beast and my sensitive spots you fool!” Zander belted out in a spark of broken pride.
“Would you rather…” Beasley laughed. “Would you rather I let it stun you again and eat you for breakfast?”
“Next time watch where you poke that thing.” Zander grumbled. “I will have a hard time walking with a blade through my rear. Let’s remove these things and continue down the tunnel, they cannot be more of these putrid things.” Zander kicked the impaled worm.
They pulled the two beasts from the tunnel by their tentacles away from the opening. Zander scoffed as they dragged the carcasses aside.
“What’s so funny?” Beasley said labored by his efforts.
“It was nice of the creator of these beasts to give them such easy hand holds to drag them away by.” Zander winked at his small friend and the two compatriots laughed together.
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