Of Guilds And Change

The Iron Hand has become a shell of its former self. It seems the bulk of my group has moved on to other things. I alone remain. I have this dream that one day TIH will be reborn into something more than it was. Maybe that’s why I stay with it, a lone sentinel, silently waiting for the return of his king and the rebirth of the kingdom to its formal glory.

My main, Callmesnake, remains in the guild and will do so until such time as the guild is disbanded or I am given the guild and become guild master. I get a lot of static from the rest of my peeps about it but they are young and don’t all know the concept of loyalty. Truthfully, I have moved a few of my alts over to other places. There are some perks to being in a guild that has a higher rating. Scorpia got a couple pieces of heirloom gear and I still haven’t heard the end of that.

My life continues to morph and change with each passing day. Scorpia is expecting another baby that will be due in December. Though I consider myself long in the tooth for more babies, I have to admit that I am enjoying them more. It must be old age or some level of patience that I didn’t possess with the kids v1.0.

We plan on finding out the sex when I get back from my trip. All men hope for a boy but I’m good either way, having one or two of each flavor already. Girls are infinitely easier to raise then boys. Figuring out a way to pay for everything is the real trick.

I don’t have anything tangible today. I read a dear friends blog this morning and it inspired me to get back on and spew forth my unique brand of insight (though there isn’t anything particularly insightful today). If I had any readers, I’d thank you for stopping by. Cheers!

Zen And The Art Of The Tank

Since my wife went out of town to visit some of her long lost relatives, I thought it would be a good time to re-associate myself with my on-line life and my World of Warcraft persona. No mean feat as I have not played in many many moons due to real life and a general boredom with the game.

I didn't initially care for the Cataclysm expansion. I having spent many untold hours trying to learn Wrath of the Lich King. I wouldn't say I mastered that expansion by any stretch but I had gotten my main character to level 80 and I was actively working on my gear in the hopes that I might one day retain the title of “King Slayer.” I never got around to that. The CAT expansion changed so many aspects of the game I became lost in a sea of my own ignorance and was never able to truly assimilate into the world of Cataclysm. So I slept.

Slowly, ever so slowly my interest began to creep back. I couldn't explain why if you asked me, it just did. With Scorpia gone and nothing to do, I looked to my little world inside the box and I found my love of the game again. It took time to get my limited ability back. You quickly forget things that are basic to all characters and all players but with time and practice things become clear again.

I took Callmesnake off the shelf and drove him around Stormwind and Stranglethorn and West Fall. We soloed Deadmines for some much needed practice. I didn't really talk to much but there are guild members that are eternal beings that are ever watchful for the return of those that have been away. They eagerly welcomed me back and helped me with anything that I asked about. I eventually went back to questing and did manage to move CMS up to level 81. That was nice but it was Snakevudo that I had really come for.

Snakevudo is my human paladin tank project. Tanking representing an aspect of group play that has always fascinated me. Tanking is not for the feint of heart and has many challenging aspects. Poor tanks are quickly identified in groups and can be harshly criticized when they are not knowledgeable or affective. Initially I was neither knowledgeable nor affective but I was doing my homework and learning the dungeons and trying to get my spell rotations correct. Through some reading on Elitistjerks.com and many consultations with Capt Awesome and Nefertiti I was able to get a good build and decent equipment. When I punched out last night, I had reached level 35 and had a couple of really good runs under my belt. The last being the graveyard section of the Scarlet Monastery. I knew the lay of the land and after an initially choppy run, I knocked one out of the park on a second go around. I was pumped to say the least.

I'll play more today. My goal being to make it to level 40 so I can wear plate and get my fast mount. Small but significant goals. I love the game and I suspect that the rest of my peeps will get on board in the fullness of time. We were very active in The Iron Hand once, I suspect we will be again. I encourage you all to play hard and play often. If you decide to take this journey for the first time, be thou not afraid. There is plenty of help out there and The Iron Hand is forever ready to help. Be confident and be bold!