Hitting 70

13 days,3 hours, 56 minutes and 53 seconds. That’s the total time played for me to get to 70 in WoW.  I was able to get a screenshot of that moment, thanks to a handy addon. I couldn’t have done it without the help of my guild, and so to AIE, I thank you all.

My newest pet

Meet my newest pet, tamed in the marshes and bog of Zangarmarsh, the quite colorful wasp, Sparky! While her health and strength isn’t as high as Bobo’s, her swiftness, and ability to dodge makes up for it in the long run. I’ve used Sparky to take down a group of 4 bog giants and only had to cast fend pet once. A remarkable pet.

Why I WoW

It began innocently. I’d finished playing The Witcher, and was looking for a new game. Browsing through itunes for some new podcasts, I came across The Instance, a podcast devoted to World of Warcraft. I listened and loved the show. Scott Johnson and cohost Randy Deluxe are as enthusiastic a pair of hosts as you could imagine. It was infectious, really. I’d played the previous RTS warcraft games, and enjoyed them, but balked at spending 15 bucks a month for a game. I downloaded the 10 say trial, and got hooked. When Scott and Randy started talking about the AIE guild, I was intrigued, and checked it out.

It didn’t take long to join the guild, beome a regular on the forums, and immerse myself in the world of Azeroth. My Blood Elf Hunter, Kharisi, and his trusty Gorilla sidekick Bobo, travel the world, seeking gold and adventure.  In spite of being in the largest US guild, I rarely quest with anyone, have only done one instance, and listen in to the ventrilo chat more than I talk. The grinding for the next level can be tiring. The world so big, I never know where to go next. Once I hit level 30, I got my mount that made travelling much easier. Sure it’s a big chicken looking thing, but it’s faster than walking. Besides, my blood elf looks awesome on it.

For an hour or two every night, and more on the weekends, I lose myself in quests, the auction house, avoiding zombies, and traveling. I’ve met some great people through the guild, and know if I ever need help, someone is always willing to help me.

It’s not perfect, nothing is, but for all its flaws, I keep coming back, because I have fun. I don’t watch a lot of tv, and this is my entertainment, my stress reliever. And many times, guild chat, is my comic relief.

I enjoy my time there, and don’t regret a moment of it. There’s always something new to see, someplace to discover, and always, always, some zombies to kill.