Build 12644: Gnome and Troll Log-in screen

The latest build on the beta (12644) delivered us an un-finished view of the gnome and troll log-in screens. They are clearly a work in progress and you are currently unable to log into any troll or gnome character because of the unfinished log-in screens. Hopefully that will be fixed soon and the log-in screens finished.

Deepholm: The Realm of Earth Part Three: Finding the Forgemaster

This is an episodic article that I will write and update as I progress through the newly released zone: Deepholm. Not very much is known about the storyline of Deepholm compared to that of Hyjal and Vashj'ir so I figured that this would be a good way to tell it as I progress through the zone, thereby leaving the experience and story fresh in my mind.

Maruut is happy with the discoveries that we've made. However, it has not given us the fragment that we seek. Not yet. Maruut performs a spell that binds our spirits together so that we can commune over great distances and sends me to Deathwing's Fall to try and find out who this forgemaster is. Seer Kormo wants me to bring him some samples from the oozes there as well. And so I am off to Deathwing's Fall.

As I arrive at Deathwing's Fall, Maruut tells me that this surely is the location where the fragment was brought. He also tells me that the cultists here are using foul magic to animate the blood of Deathwing, causing it to become alive. This explains why Kormo wants a sample of these grotesque creatures. The process of animating this blood is done by cultists called "Bloodshapers" and Maruut suggests that I slay some of them and try to find any clues as to who the Forgemaster is.

After killing a bloodshaper I find a set of Twilight Orders that detail how the Twilight's Hammer are using slaves to mine for them. These slaves surely know where The Forgemaster is and Maruut suggests that I rescue six of them and hope for them to give me any clues.

One of these clues appears to be really helpful. One of the slaves tells me that The Forgemaster keeps a record of all his meetings in a journal at top of a tower overlooking Deathwing's Fall. By finding his journal I might be able to eavesdrop on his next meeting and both discover the location of the Fragment but also discover the identity of the Forgemaster.

The tower is not very high but is a grotesque construction overlooking the entire area. The journal is here, just where the slave said they would be. The latest entry states that the next meeting will be in an area called the Upper Silvermarsh, a great bog that lies to the north-east of Deathwing's fall.

As I arrive in Upper Silvermarsh, I notice a small Twilight's Hammer camp, protecting by two big ogre-guards. I surely don't want to catch their attention so I start looking for a disguise or something to hide under in order to eavesdrop on the meeting and perhaps discover the location of the fragment. Maruut suggests that I kill a few of the local stone-troggs and search for some of the crates they might have left in the area.

Not a bad idea, so I start slaying the little bastards until I discover a crate in one of their camps. Perfect! I put the crate on my head and realize that I'll have to keep the rest of my body under the water in order to not be recognized.

I approach the meeting and jump into a nearby lake just as the meeting is about to begin. As one of the ogres announce the arrival of High Priestess Azil, the Forgemaster steps forward. I am shocked when I realize that I am indirectly responsible for the appearance of the Forgemaster here. Before me stands Millhouse Manastorm, the foulmouthed gnome that I freed in The Arcatraz a couple of years ago. How could you, Millhouse? I liked you so much! I realize that it is too late to save him from the grasp of the Twilight's Hammer and continue to eavesdrop on the meeting.

Manastorm tells High Priest Azil that the fragment is now in a dragon's custody. So we're hunting a dragon. High Priestess Azil congratulates Manastorm on a well-executed operation. Just as she is about to leave, Millhouse brings up how the Priestess managed to infiltrate the alliance airship. She laughs and walks away while telling him that she "has friends in high places."

After the meeting, Maruut contacts me again. He tells me that the dragon they are speaking of is a stone dragon known as Abyssion.

And so the dragon hunt begins..

Deepholm: The Realm of Earth Part Two: The Twilight Infiltration.

This is an episodic article that I will write and update as I progress through the newly released zone: Deepholm. Not very much is known about the storyline of Deepholm compared to that of Hyjal and Vashj'ir so I figured that this would be a good way to tell it as I progress through the zone, thereby leaving the experience and story fresh in my mind.

Maruut Stonebinder, a tauren shaman tells me that one of the fragments was supposed to be delivered to the Temple of the Earth by a horde gunship, however, it has crashed on a nearby cliff and the fragment has seemingly disappeared. Maruut does not know why the gunship crashed, but sends me off to find clues inside the ship as to what was the cause of the crash. Seer Kormo, a broken shaman, also requests that I kill a bunch of stone elementals near the wreck in order to stop them them from tearing the ship apart and possibly ruining any clues.

Near the ship I find three clues. The first one is an unexploded artillery shell produced in Stormwind. The second one is the body of Captain Skullshatter, whose logs are nearby. The logs detail that the gunship was apparantly fired at by an alliance gunship in the region. This is further hinted when I find the body of a horde cannoneer with gunpowder on her hands. There has clearly been a fight here. It seems like the gunship was attacked by the alliance. After killing the earth elementals I was asked to kill I report back to Maruut.

Maruut tells me that since the Earthen Ring is a neutral organization he will not jump to conclusions just yet. He wants me to meet up with Stormcaller Mylra on the alliance gunship in order to figure out this mystery. I find the alliance gunship as Stormcaller Mylra greets me there.

Mylra tells me that the entire crew has been killed by Twilight's Hammer cultists that have infiltrated the ship. However, we need to find out why they shot at the horde gunship despite them knowing that it was carrying the important piece of the World Pillar. In order to do this we need to talk to the spirits of the fallen crew. This is done by placing a totem near the dead bodies.

The spirits reveal that some in their crew were Twilight's Hammer cultists and that they manupulated them into attacking the horde gunship, telling them that it was a threat. They did this by poisoning the supplies, which made the alliance soldiers into pawns that would be easy to control. This poison later killed the crew.

I also find the ship's captain who requests that I bring him a bottle of whiskey and a rope. He needs some strength before he will be able to tell me what happened. After hearing the captain explain what happened, he reveals who is behind this: An ogre named Mor'norokk the Hateful. Mylra wants this ogre to speak and therefore he needs to be captured alive. She sends me into the lower parts of the ship to beat this ogre up so that she can catch him.

After fighting my way down through the ship, beating up a lot of cultists until I find Mor'norokk. Mor'norokk was easy and gave up pretty quick, saying that he'll tell me everything. Believing him, I lower my defenses and make ready to interrogate him. However, Mo'norokk grabs me and jumps to a plank above the hole in the gunship's bottom. He holds me in stretched arm and is about to drop me when Mylra comes in from behind, binding the ogre and lifting him off while flying on her gryphon. She asks me to meet her on top so that we can interrogate Mor'norokk. I jump on my drake and meet her on top of the gunship.

Mylra tells me that we need to interrogate Mor'norokk but that we need to use rough methods in order to make him squeal. Mylra jumps on her gryphon and, still with Mor'norokk hanging beneath her mount, flies over to one of the big engines on the gunship. Mor'norokk tells us that he does not know where the fragment is and that it was taken to Deathwing's fall to be delivered to the Forgemaster there. When Mylra asks him who the forgemaster is, he refuses to speak and says that he'd rather die that tell us. He then drops into the engine and is sliced and diced into meat. Mylra tells me to report back to Maruut Stonebinder in Temple of the Earth with what we've discovered.

Part three coming later today :)
It will be called "Finding the Forgemaster".

Farinar's Cataclysm Screenshot of the Day: 28th of July

To keep the blog active and updated I will post a new screenshot directly from the beta every day. For more Cataclysm pictures, please check out my gallery for 1300+ screenshots.

Hogger! You son-of-a-bitch!