Turns out doing a flying dragon kick to Illidan’s squirrel snack-pack pants is a great way to scare the mog gear out of him. Haanta sought this bow for a very long time, and Illidan handed it right over to her today, no questions asked. He barely monologged. Isn’t it gorgeous? Smells like vanilla and fel fire.
What is the deal with the new mog closest coming out this next expansion, anyway? Is working for mog gear going to be a thing of the past?
So does this mean the Headless Horseman helm that my hunters have gotten a thousand times over, but Luperci Who Is Not A Failed Paladin can now wear it? Really?!
Hey, how come we don’t have kangaroos as a pet option?
Maybe this is Blizzard finally seeing why players love transmog, and understanding that our accounts are just that, our accounts with a variety of alts. Even if you’re not an altaholic, how fun to mix and match gear? This may drive the purists insane, but *shrug*.
Thanks for making the virtual world a bit more pretty, cause the real world is sure sucking at it right now.
Sometimes I just have to tell myself to FOCUS. Good thing I have a pretty purple wolf on Haanta, which inspired her to get off her lazy tail and finish up at least one reputation in Draenor:
Just why do some players raise so many alts? I don’t know. I admire those those play one or two classes and thoroughly understand those said classes, including when change happens how to manage and adjust. In my experience, I never quite allow myself to understand and thoroughly study all the classes/specializations I play, but I do all right. (I must confess I get a little miffed when a player tells me things about Mataoka–almost five years and counting, she’s my girl, so back off, Jack.)
This post is for me, all for me, a simple place, where I can click and look up my stats for the girls quickly. If you find it useful, too, great.
Not even going to touch Monk healing, Warrior-ing or Rogues today. Or Death Knights. I miss my monk, Sajja, very much, and Heartichoke is lonesome, as gnomes often are. In the meantime, I’ll keep trying to get what these girls need, save some gems and enchants, and stash away gold for all those repair bills. They’re going to need it.
My friend Señor set a gold challenge for himself. I didn’t realize he had done this, but noticed a change in play behavior: he’s not in Warlords yet, and has been using his play time very well – I won’t share his gold making secrets, or why he took this challenge (which he shared with me yesterday) but suffice it to say he has been very successful in making gold. And let me be clear: my friend never tries to tell me what to do or how to play, but I sensed some concern about my gold-spending habits. Maybe he wants me to save for a rainy day, or be able to buy my own way if there is a challenge mode run or two I just can’t do on my own. This conversation happened after he noticed that the Garn Nighhowls were selling on the Auction House for around 9-12,000 gold. I decided to look that mount up to see if I could do it on my own, and I tried, and the answer is no. No. No. And no. The wolf is dropped by Nok-Karosh, and Nok is surrounded by her entire wolf pack of level 100 wolves who will eat your face from across the snowdrifts. So what’s a girl to do? Dig out all her pennies and silvers from the garrison couch cushions and buy it, of course. Señor did make a valid point: how do I plan on getting and saving for gold for things I may want in the future of the game? (Coincidentally, real life gold is causing me a lot of anxiety at the moment, and it does get tiresome to always “make do.”)
So let’s make a plan. I now have Mataoka, Zeptepi, Momokawa, and Kellda with full Level 3 garrisons, cranking out herbs, professions, and whatnot. How do they use their skills? To make crap for one another, of course, or in Kellda’s case make Darkmoon Cards instead of staves and wands. Zeptepi made two elekk plushies–one for her, and one for her friend Turk who is a masterful pet battler. What else? Gems? Furs? Hmmm. There are great ways to make gold in Warlords, and thank Velen, because it is very, very expensive. At 5K per Tier 3 garrisons, times at least 6-7 ‘main’ alts, and don’t even begin to count the gold for upgrading the buildings. And sure enough, somehow the garrison resources have run completely dry. Funny, I don’t FEEL like going over the maps again and again to try to get tiny amounts of resources. Missions suck them up, and not much ROI (return on investment). Somehow once again I missed the memo on how to make, and keep, gold.
Or maybe I should just shut up and listen to my friend Señor: just save it, Matty. That’s your last wolf for awhile.
But doesn’t Haanta look grand?!Â
She Wolf by Shakira (she’s not that great of a dancer but damn she is flexible)
November is like tax season for me, if I were an accountant. It’s the longest shortest month. I’m not complaining, I’m blessed and grateful–just telling myself to be patient with myself while I get it all done.
I remember when I first started getting friends on this blog, how I would steal every second to scribble story ideas. The muse was strong with this one. Now something has shifted, the tide has gone out, and I’m not sure when its pull will return. But if there was ever a time to get writing fan-fic again, this would be it.
And just like in the past when I don’t read notes or blogs, I have made many expensive garrison mistakes. I am not sure what to do or how to fix them. One success, however, is Haanta’s focused energy to save and love an orphaned frostwolf. Many mixed allegiances–so conflicted.
Anyway, will you help me name her, Haanta’s frostwolf?
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am when Navimie sent me an e-mail telling me Sleepingfox was accepting commissions again for her perfect, adorable, and amazing chibis:
MataokaZeptepiHaanta and SweaterMomokawa
I stared at Momokawa’s for full ten minutes. The details in her shoulders, (the Mantle of the Haunted Forest may be one of my top three most-loved designs in Azeroth) her beautiful, kind face–I love it. Zeptepi’s image is from one of my favorite posts (which of course now I can’t find). It’s about love, redemption, and healing. Mataoka was tough: to show her in her healing gear, sins washed away with the power of the elements, or in her Kor’kron set, fiery and ready for retribution? At her heart, she fights with maces and axes, and will stand hoof-to-toe with anyone who hurts her or her family. Haanta is shown with her first love, Sweater the Bear. Sweater is enjoying his retirement, eating honeycomb and grubs, and getting his belly rubbed.
Now, I realize Sleepingfox has been doing this for awhile. She is incredibly talented, of that there is no doubt. I submit this for consideration: when you are creating art for clients there is another level of professionalism and talent that must be recognized. It’s not easy to please others. To me, she is the consummate artist: using her talents to bring joy to others, too, and understanding their vision while incorporating her own interpretation. Well done, very, very well done.
This is a tale of two cloaks, closing in on the end of an expansion, neglected and beloved characters who, hats and helms in hand, requested of their human to just see…just try…and it turns into a tale of OCD, annoyance, and losing zen.
Haanta, dutifully, and sans complaint, scoured the Timeless Isle, picking up whatever scraps of leather, like some bloodthirsty park keeper, and getting pretty decent gear from Ordos. Why not get a cloak? WHY NOT?! She was lagging behind the others, and she needed to get the 3000 Valor Points for Wrathion. What he’s doing with all this stuff: might as well be collecting ears and toe nail clippings, the little creep. Turns out, and I had forgotten this, the good and bad news: you can purchase valor with Timeless Isle coins: valor cap is 1000 per week.
Okay, okay, so she’ll wait, no big whoop. And then week three:
2980/3000 WHATTHE
All right, all right, deep cleansing breaths: Ceniza, how are you doing? You’re further along the process, and how she got further along I have no idea. Mages. Must have been moonlighting for arcane power and sheep herding late at night when no one was looking. Anyway, all she needs now are the Secrets. Then the thing. Then the other
Ceniza: I get it
thing. And the trillium, mustn’t forget that. And the other stones and stuff, and then the other stuff and things. But Ceniza still, (and I’ll slip into third-person voice to repress this) is a terrible fire mage. She is. I did some cursory reading of Icy Veins, and some things are starting to make sense. But some things—aren’t. Her gear’s not great, but it’s not bad, and she’s always playing blink-catch up, and it’s on cool down.
She always looks fantastic though, because that’s what matters:
The Green Mage
But after much thought, I realized if “they” don’t fix this thing with the Area 51 Alien bug eyes, every character will be a Dwarf:
Every. Last. One.
But hey, it’s not the end of the world, is it? All in due time. Unless of course you want to play in my end of the world mog contest, then yes, tomorrow is the day. Email me your entry and screenshot – mataoka. of.exodar@gmail.com. Till then–and be glad hair styles have changed:
You ask, “Matty, what is the inspiration for this contest?”  So many places – where to start? The anticipation levels for WoD are reaching fever pitch. Even in OLRG I was reminded that one woman’s definition of spoiler may not be mine. When I say ‘spoiler’ I mean NOTHING – I don’t even watch movie trailers sometimes because I want it to be a fresh experience. Perhaps, though, I am too constricted in my thinking. Just because I didn’t get a Beta Invite doesn’t mean I have to be all crabby about it. NooOOOoooooo. Look, I went to last year’s Blizzcon and got to take a peak behind the curtains, and WoD is going to be awesome. I get that. But meanwhile, Rome is burning, baby, and it’s time to start fiddling! The real world is in some serious trouble, people. And when even Mt. Fuji is about to blow up her skirt, what else can Azerothians do but a Mogging Contest? So, while we’re waiting for the rivers to rise and the plastic in the oceans to just all disappear, let’s mog!
The Rules:
1. Outfit must be suitable to end-of-the-world survival. Justify every piece of gear on this scale:
Survivability: can this character survive – now be creative in this. A warlock dressed as a priest? Sure. A rogue tricking others? Sounds fine.
Flexibility: must be able to go from land to sea with no muss, no fuss
Recycled – no new or latest gear; can mix and match mail with cloth, etc.
In other words, a brief explanation on why you chose each piece of gear.
2. Have pet, will travel: you must choose one of your pets (in addition to a hunter, mage, warlock, etc. normal pet) as your traveling companion a la Will Smith I Am Legend style. Give a brief explanation on why this is your pet of choice, and how you two plan on surviving the upcoming apocalypse.
3. Format: Screenshot (Mogit is fine) and small text explaining the above. A secret judge will make the final decision. Send this to me at mataoka.of.exodar@gmail.com by July 31. Decision will be made by August 9.Â
First place: $25 gift card for Blizzard
Second place: $15 gift card
Third place: I don’t know. Whatever I have lying around. You might get nothing and like it.
If you have any questions, post them here or send me an e-mail. However, that doesn’t mean I’ll answer them. For those of you concrete-sequential types this may be frustrating, because my vague and open-ended (lack of) explanations drive folks nuts. It’s the end of the world, after all, and many rules don’t apply.
 Seraphim
Sugar&Blood 