One reason I redecorated my room at home was not – as uncle Amus thought -  to get rid of old trappings, but to modify it a bit to spare the family one unpleasant fact of life when living with one such as I.

You may think that Death Knights are cold or arrogant or unpleasant to be around.  One of the reasons why may surprise you. Maybe they’re just trying to spare you from some uncomfortable truths of being around a DK.

Each night, I go to sleep, and pray to any deity I can think of that the dreams will not return. They do, of course, but not always. But when they do, it’s pretty horrific. I learned early after my return to Stormwind that I needed to insulate or isolate myself from others at night.

So, in this case, curtains. Heavy ones, around the bed.When the screaming starts, this helps deaden the sound. I think Yarley and Jas and Slithmere can hear me, with those Elf ears, but Jas has probably headed off the other two.  She can’t have been hunting me for that long without knowing certain things concerning Death Knights.

Oberon, at least, doesn’t run far, and always comes back. If he knows I was a murderer and torturer, he forgives me. He just doesn’t like loud noises. Who would?

One dream does not haunt me in the same way, but – if I could weep – would wake me weeping. It is my memories of the final steps of my journey to petition King Wrynn.

I stood before the gates and eyed the guards. They sneered back. They saw whose protection I was under, but that didn’t cause them to forgive. Some might have made a break for it and gotten it over with. For myself, I remembered a time that I walked those streets without fear of reprisal, and I determined that I would once again do so.

And so I walked it. Every inch. And they threw things, and yelled insults, and screamed, and spat on me.  I felt so ashamed, not because they were doing this, but because I knew that I deserved far worse.

But then a strange thing happened.  A Gnome mage ran up beside me, stopped, then fell in to my left. A warlock, leaving the city, wheeled about and joined our ranks. Another Death Knight. Before long, we had a small procession, headed to the Throne.  This show of support would bring tears to my eyes, if I had tears anymore.

The final steps of that journey were completed alone; I had to face King Wrynn myself. But maybe I stood a little straighter knowing that at least a few people in that city accepted me at more than face value.

My Order is at a crossroads. This thing with Fai illustrates it magnificently. Here I’m forced to make a choice – a choice between what I know in my heart to be right, and what I’ve been told is right. Fortunately, I have plenty of company and our Leadership is doing a lot of soul searching.

I hear the archbishop of Stormwind’s brother came back as a Death Knight and is living in his cottage in Elwynn.

So I don’t have to renounce my Faith – yet.  I’m pretty sure that, should it come to that, I would do so. I cannot look at her and imagine it any other way.  She’s my little cousin, no matter how Arthas tried to twist her. And I’d as soon lay down my own life as harm a hair on her head. I’ll take up farming. See if I don’t.

She worries, she does. Not about me, now, I think, but in the back of her mind I think she still thinks she’ll turn on us.  That Arthas has a hold on her and what can be undone, can be redone. Damn him for hurting her so. Damn him.

This whole thing just got a little more personal for me.

She’s been cleaning out her room, including the sad little task of dismantling her pet’s sleeping pit. At least she’s letting go a little bit.  Old habits are hard to break and all, but she has a new … life … now. Best be on about it.

I found her on the balcony, a favorite place for our family when thinking Deep Thoughts.

“Finished with the room, are you?”

“Aye,” she sighed. Even her sighs are ominous now. “It’s more appropriate for one such as me, now.”

“I know you still miss Oberon, lass. But Grimm saw that he was doing all right now, so put it out of your mind. He’s happy and doing what big cats do.”

“Aye, I know. But it was nice having a friend out there. I have a long journey ahead of me, Uncle. It’s nice having a friend along, even a furry one that doesn’t talk. I’m just used to it, is all, and nothing has changed that fer me.”

Mew

“What was that?”

Mew

“A little something I got from a lady outside of Stormwind. I don’t know if the markings are exactly right, but it’s certainly a striking resemblance.”

Mew

“Oberon!” She reached out and grasped the little ball of fluff I had in my hands. Bounce “Uncle, I love him!”

I think she cracked one of my ribs with that hug. She’s got a grip on her, that one. She’ll do just fine.

- fin -

It’s hard to resume a life when everything about it has changed. And in fact, now it’s not so much a life as an unlife. That’s one of the oddest things about being a Death Knight.

This all started in Southshore, where I was looking for herbs, getting cheeky and hitting Silverpine and Alterac as I go along. Then the Scourge invasion dropped on us. I was running for my life, then, trying to stay out of trouble and survive long enough to somehow get home or at least to the Wildhammer fortress. I actually saw Dalaran come to life and take off, then head north. Stupid Kirin Tor couldn’t be bothered to pick up a little Dwarf Hunter, could they?

Naturally, I got snagged by the plague. That’s a dark time; I can’t even remember what I did, where I was, or how I got to old Lorderon. Nor, I suppose, should I want to. But I do remember one day, before I Became. The terrible gaze of a Lich bearing down on me; “You, there. We have a special use for you. Your ‘family’ may be of some significance to the Lich King. We shall mold you; you shall bring them to us.”  And I started on the road to become a Death Knight.

Faiella and her new friend

It’s true, what they say. The sensations are unbelievable. The power you can draw on is only limited by your ability to control it.

I remember, then. My indoctrination. My education. My … crimes against the Alliance. The terrible, terrible battle. The redemption, my new Order. The shame of Stormwind. The acceptance of my new King.

But I couldn’t face my family. I remembered those words from my “mentor” … “bring them to us.”  From the shadows, I followed their progress. Uncle Grimm tearing up the countryside; smiling with glee at his taming one of those nefarious Stealth Dinosaurs that vexxed him so long ago. Aunt Jasra healing our guildmates through Naxxramas, bringing down Kel’Thuzad himself. Aunt Flora’s first 10K crit. Good times for the family.

Good times that I could not share.

What would they think? What would uncle Amus do? And what if it was true, that I was an instrument of doom to be used against my own family, even in my new ‘enlightened’ state? Too risky.

Sentiment was my downfall.

I was unable to entirely divorce myself from my past life. I was no longer a hunter and had no use for firearms, but I couldn’t help but pick up my old rifle when I found it. It was as if the Gods had proclaimed that I should find it. I was skilling up my herbalism in Hillsbrad once again, and I stumbled across the very place that the Scourge took me, in behind Tarren Mill. There were my old belongings, mostly rotting away, but the gun was mostly intact – though no longer functional.  I took it up, cleaned it, and kept it as a memento of the past.

This attracted someone’s attention. Before I realized the cause, I realized I was being tracked. Just a glimpse from time to time. One, shadowy, glowing eyes. The other, Warlock, dark hair. From under a tree, the corner of the Auction House, back table in the inn. Before I realized who it was, the trap was sprung. The Slaughtered Lamb was a poor choice for dinner and a drink, turns out, and suddenly I found myself in a corner, confronted with the reality of my folly.

Aunt Flora was not amused.

“So, Jas was right. It is you, isn’t it? How many Death Knights do you think normally tote around rifles with Wildhammer markings on them, anyway? You made it easy, cousin.” Cousin? “Yes, foolish girl. Do you think we’d waste our time on anyone else?”

Oh, no. “Please, no! Aunt Flora, don’t tell him! I couldn’t bear it!”

Hard to read Aunt Flora, sometimes, especially when she’s wearing the Mask. “Not my operation, sweetie. This is Jas’ show all the way. Wait right here, I’m off to get her. Headhun will keep an eye on you, won’t you, big guy?” Pause at the door. “He isn’t too bright. His orders are to kill you if you leave this room. We’ll resurrect what’s left of you later if you’re of a mind to make a break for it.”

“Too weak to do your own work?” he muttered. ZAP! Flinch! “I meant, yes, Mistress!”

Leaving a trail of brimstone in her wake, she departed.

“Please,” I begged the demon. “Let me go. I’ll do anything. I can’t bear this!”

Sidewise look. “You have no idea of the power she holds, over me, girl.”, he growled. “I have no choice. I must obey my mistress!”

“Wouldn’t help you anyway.” from the doorway, a shadowy figure emerged. “I wasn’t all that far away.” What … was this wraith-like being? “I’ve been looking for you, and I would have found you no matter what.” The shadow started to fade, take on color. “My uncle is in pain.” Glowing eyes, green hair, gentle smile, outstretched hand. “He doesn’t let on, but he hurts.” Aunt Jasra, kneeling down, hands on my shoulders. “And you ache with guilt and sorrow and loneliness.” No revulsion, no drawing back … acceptance? How? “Auntie Jasra prescribes Reunion. You are one of us. You are family. It doesn’t matter what he did to you. You never really leave your family. I know my family. It won’t matter. Having you back is all we desire.” Bright, joyful gaze. “Go to him, little sister. Go home.”

From the corner, Aunt Flora grinned. “She’s getting pretty good with that shadow form. You might want to listen to her and not make her angry. You wouldn’t like her when she’s angry.”

I couldn’t help blurting out, “Aunt Jas … shadow spec?“

If you didn’t catch it the first time, the relevant post is here. Go. Read. I’ll wait.

:: sharpens axe, plays fetch with the dino ::

Back? Great.  As you can see, Hanners is a little torqued at DKs right now. And with good reason.

I’ve seen people who know damn well better than that – turn into doucheknights. ‘

Crowd control? It’s OK, I’m a DK. YOINK.

AoE? No need! I’m a DK!  YOINK.

Don’t worry about the mana, healerz – I don’t need it – I’m a DK! lawz

So, listen up, guys.

You can’t have it.

The hat is mine. It belongs to us, the Huntards. Every stupid, silly thing in this game centers around huntards. We’re the ones that accidentally tab-targeted the whole room. Bounced off of three elevators to aggro an instance onto the party. Forgot to dismiss the pet when taking the balcony short cut. Pulled aggro off the MT and messed up everyone’s careful positioning as a result. Us, ME. GET IT??

We don’t need a bunch of newbs coming in and stealing our thunder. We’re the ones. Get it? Not you.

You … go figure out a way to play in a group.

Leave the comedy to us.

Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

Blizzard has an event going on in Paris this weekend, and some of the news is very exciting.

Hunter Pet Rewrite

The big news for hunters is that pet training points are going away – poof! – to be replaced with an actual pet talent tree. They are talking Tanking, DPS, Utility for this.

Of course, we already had this, in a way, before Blizz started converging pet abilities to the point where it was hardly worth going for a specific pet type any more. All cats are cats, all bears are bears, and raptors are essentially scaly cats now.

What’s worse: we move further away from that. Instead of going with a turtle pet for maximum tanking, can you now train your cat to tank as good as a bear?

One of the great things about the pet types is that each brought a lot to the table, and some individuals brought a little extra, as well. But over time, this has all been homogenized away.

I hope I’m wrong. I hope it’s awesome.

Steady Shot and clipping Autoshot

Steady shot will no longer clip autoshot, essentially they will be on seperate timers.

I welcome this, surely, but it seems to me that hunter shot rotations are already pretty solid. This seems a little OP to me – if steady shot no longer clips autoshot, what changes? It seems to me that the skills necessary to decide between, say, a 3:2 rotation versus 1:1 rotation will no longer be necessary. Knowing the difference between a bow and a gun and how to get the most out of them doesn’t seem like it will be important. Autoshot will run on its clock, and steady on its. Seems like the tard element is getting a boost.

Yes at times I can be an elitist jerk. Booyah.

Gnome Death Knight

Officially: yes.

In fact, the Lich King is not too particular.

Demonic Circle

The warlock can create a circle on the ground, and then return to it at need.

This sounds a lot like the Diablo Recall mechanism in action for Warlocks. Again, I am concerned at what appears to be a class-imbalancing thing. Don’t get me wrong, Flora will love this. But right now, this is one perk of being a mage above a warlock. On the other hand, mages have portals, so maybe it evens it out.

Demon Form

The 51-point Demonology tree talent will be Demon Form – the warlock will actually become a demon rather than summon one. Blizz hints it will resemble Illidan a lot.

So will this give warlocks a viable position in the tanking business? In a way it sounds a lot like Felguard, except you can’t sit off to one side and cast additional spells while the ‘guard does the damage. Makes me wonder what use it is? Oh, except for the AoE Shadow Bolts. Hmmmmm….

Also: if a doom walker costs the death of a soul, what pray tell will this boon cost?

Druid CC

Some of the most welcome news is that druids’ CC spell will no longer be outdoor-only.

Overall, quite the sensation. I am looking forward to the next expansion.