A few days back, I was coming out of the alliance pavillion at the tournemant grounds and, thanks to camera angle, noticed an odd little detail.

Here, I’ll show you.

No, you’re not mistaken. It’s a clothespin, but only on the Ironforge banner.

Here’s a closer view.

I checked a few out. Turns out it was the same way no matter where I went on the tournement grounds.

I then flew to Shadowmoon Valley to view the banners there, and , well, no clothespins. What I did find was fringe.

Believe it or not, Ironforge itself is more difficult – the devices are all engraved or embossed or otherwise part of the stonework. Except these just outside the keep. And there’s the fringe again.

So what is going on with the fringe?  Why are they hiding it in Northrend, but not in Outland or Azeroth proper? I am no expert on things Heraldic, but from what little I know … that means something.

I googled a bit and found nothing of interest. Yes, they spotted it on the PTR discussions over at MMO Champion, but they didn’t make the connection between old and new and thus missed the fringe aspect.  There was a topic over at the WoW official forums, but it’s just a mention (I had to look at the cached version).

Very odd.

I plan on having pictures soon, since I took a bunch, but today I girded my loins and went visiting my ancestral home. That’s right: Grim Batol.

I am of the Wildhammer Clan, and while we are “officially” relocated to the Hinterlands, Grim Batol calls to us. We are proud of our lost city. Ironforge is just “out there” and Thaurissan is literally a hole in the ground, but our grand city lies at the end of a valley guarded by several heavy gates and (when peopled) legions of my kin lining the valley with guns and siege engines of all kinds. You want to talk about a gauntlet? Try one that’s over a mile long! My people built well! It required dark magic – the stuff of nightmares – to breach that fortress in the first place.

So today I paid my respects. I was not able to defeat Axtroz by myself, so I had to satisfy myself with slaughtering every one of his kin guarding the valley while evading Himself.

And then I was there, in the final valley, facing the locked and sealed doors of my home. I walked out to the river where I could see Grim Batol as my forefathers did when hunting and fishing in the valley, shining in the sunlight, and looking up the river, the great Stonewrought Dam bearing the visages of our common ancestors.

I wept bitter tears for my people for a while, and then trudged back to my current home.

Someday, my people, we will return. I pray I will be there when the time comes. Our home awaits.

Pictures, later. Now, ale. Much, much ale.