A specialized Rogues Gallery

I’m not generally one to patronize streamers – hot tub or otherwise – or other people that just talk to a camera, offer to write your name on their head, or change outfits for money (one assumes off camera but I’m not falling for that one again).

But one kind of people I’m always glad to help out when I can are those that do things – I mean, real things, things you can download and view and stuff. Artists fit right into this category. Kruithne is one of those artists that also does software and other interesting work. They do a lot of on-commission 3D art of WoW characters and, coincidentally, is one of the few 3D artists that also shares information on how they do the deed, albeit behind a Patron paywall (obviously not an issue for me).

It was that knowledge that drew me in, so I joined the Patron for what I could afford and immediately gained knowledge (mind you, the procedure they provided blew up my Python install, but, being a steely eyed Python boi, I was able to get that squared away).

Creation of WoW 3D art outside of the model viewer is not an easy or trivial task, but Kruithne works hard to make it achievable if you put a little effort into it. As a techie, as a former 3D artist in another era, and as a WoW fanboi, I highly recommend them and encourage you to throw a few gp into the till.

To my surprise and delight, recently we patrons got a bonus, an artwork with all of the first 100 patrons (that wanted to be) in it, as a group photo.

Can you spot the Grimmtooth?

Hard Times in Bastion

Bastion bothers me.

A friend of mine on Twitter noticed this first, but I’ve seen it, too.  There’s something like a place that makes you shed your identity and turn into a person identical to all of the other people around you of the same gender a bit unnerving. And the words used by these people remind me of a, of a … well, this.

And then there’s this.

Here we have one of the cult members (circled, to the far right) “shedding his memories” (all the other circles).  You can see that this blue dude is actually in past life a Tauren, and his memories of his past are deemed “burdens”.

They should have named it “definitely not a cult land”.

Now, a certain major lore character that you saw in one of the animated shorts (not spoiling it) has started a counter cultural movement, and I have to say, while they’re being portrayed as the baddies, I’m kinda rooting for them.

It may be pretty here, but it’s just horrible.

Qua Taelia

If you’re Alliance, you’ve met Taelia, agent of Kul Tiras, Fury warrior par excellence, and giver of some of the best stinkeye I’ve ever seen in-game.

 

Lady Ashvane almost went up in smoke just from the glare

 

 

There is a big spoiler near the end of the main arc in this the initial stage of the expansion, so I won’t ruin it if you prefer to stay … unruined.  Turn thy virgin eyes aside, and come back after you find out … well, you’ll know.

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They gone?  Man, what a pain.  But here we are.

Anyway, as you may at this point know, Taelia’s full name is Taelia Fordragon, daughter of Bolvar Fordragon, who was last seen atop the Frozen Throne in Northrend.

Blizzwatch has already had a shot at what that means for purposes of her upcoming lore – i.e. she thinks daddy’s dead, nobody’s told her, this can only end in tears, that sort of thing.

But from the moment I saw her and Anduin Wrynn in the room together, I knew: this has to happen.

Anyone know who did this?

Yes, I know that Flynn’s carrying a torch for her.

I also get that Flynn is the Jack Sparrow in the Jack Sparrow / Elizabeth / Whelp sammich, and I think that Anduin is the Whelp in this case.

 

Yes, Blizz does tend to borrow from others and embellish, why do you ask.

Anyway.

1. Anduin’s gonna need a queen.
2. A Fordragon would be a fabulous choice.
3. It would unite Lorderon and Stormwind once and for all, with a side of Kul Tiras.
4. He’s a priest, she’s a warrior (maybe she can spec change to tank).
5. 

   Come here, little king. Want some candy?

   Jaina’s a bit old for him (back off, cougar lady).

6. Moira would be just wrong. Shadow and Holy? G’wan.

You see where I’m headed here?

Now, it’s possible, with the whole Bolvar the Lich King thingy going on, that Taelia will Go Dark at some point.

I figure we have a 50/50 chance of that, and a 50/50 chance of Anduin going dark. And I just can’t really get into the whole king-going-dark-for-the-dozenth-time thing again, so it’s possible that, if Jaina doesn’t grow a mustache to twirl, that Taelia will be taken from us, go rogue and go after Daddy Dearest or something weird like that.  The sort of thing that happens every other day in Warcraft.

But I hope not. We’re running out of good lore characters, and we need some interesting ones to take their place. But I’m worried because Taelia’s model is just basically a player character model with little to know real upgrades, making it appear that she’s not going to last the expansion out.

Anyway.

I have shipped Anduin Wrynn and Taelia Fordagon, and there’s nothing you can do about it.  Thanks for attending my TED talk.

 

Might be a long wait

Mrs Grimm noticed on her hordie that the zep to Undercity was missing, and there was just a portal there now.  On a hunch, I sped my way to Stormwind harbor, to see what there was to see of the boat to Teldrassil. Yep, it was gone, too.

I kindly /tell’d the person waiting for the boat to take the portal behind the ballista , and as I did so, I heard a ship’s bell, and this happened.

Those two guards and their prisoner just appeared out of nowhere, and are headed off to the stockades.

Aside from where’s-the-boat, the other pressing question is why are Alliance troopers toting obviously Human prisoners from Teldrassil?

Something about Genn

While waiting for the login issues to clear up, I noticed something a little odd.  It involves Genn Greymane.

In the opening cinematic, Old Wolf is in his canine form during the battle; counseling Anduin, getting beat up, getting major healz, that sort of thing. We get a few good close ups of ol’ snaggle-puss, and then I noticed it.

See it? I circle’d and arrow’d it in case you miss it.

Old Wolf has tusk jewelry, like an Orc might have.

So what happens to it when he changes back to human form?  His big goofy duster coat stays the same. What about the jewelry? (and noting a lot in his hairy earlobes, too).

And he’s what, around 100 years old now?  Pretty spry, isn’t he?

I’m telling you, there’s something a bit OFF about Genn Greymane.

Vinettes, One Expansion Late

I was over in Nagrand looking for an Inscription recipe and couldn’t resist the chance to take a selfie with a national landmark.

SPOILER ALERT: Yes, I did.

Also I hocked it.

Ephemerality

There’s a questline in Krokuun where you take down the big bad in Nath’raxas Hold, and right after you do that, there’s an awesome cut scene.

After that, there’s this awesome cut scene. I’ll put in a break to keep from spoiling it for anyone.

Xe’ra should learn the meaning of "consent"

Why so Handsy?

You may have seen the  cinematic that deals with “The Fate of Xe’ra”.  Here’s a link if you want to watch. Note it contains spoilers for the Argus campaign, which you may wish to experience in pristine purity of the pure. In which case, close this article now and come back when you have been pristinely enlightened purely.

We’ll wait until you leave …

Okay, here we go.

 

Don’t I know you from somewhere?

I just have this feeling that somewhere, Jong’s ears are burning.

You know they like you by the way they yell at you

The gentleman in the middle is the innkeeper in Jandvik, which is in Suramar, of all places. When you engage him to purchase items, he greets you with such cheerful epithets as “I spit on you!” or “Sniveling pig!”.  And when you’re done, he send you on your way with a jaunty “And don’t come back!” or a simple “Begone!”

I’m sure this is considered the pinnacle of manners in Valarjar society.