He Melts Her Ice Stone

The world was ending.  Certainly it was.  There was no other explanation for it.  Such were Decedereful's thoughts as she stared at the baby blue curtains now adorning the windows in her brother's manor.  Baby blue.  The Mage color.  How had that come to pass?

"You like the curtains, deary?" Minerva asked cheerily, appearing beside Decedereful.

"They're bright," Decedereful observed guardedly.

Her brother would set those on fire the second he stepped through the door.  The problem was, he wasn't stepping through the door.  It had been several hours since they'd left him and the Captain in Stormwind, and they'd heard nothing.  Surely, they'd have heard of a success by now.

Minerva had been blinking around the room, tidying up various things as if she'd been handed a personal quest by Sylvanas herself to eradicate all messiness from the world.  Abigora was deeply entrenched in one of her tomes at the kitchen table, though she did look wistfully at the door every now and then.  That basically left Decedereful to her own devices, which was grating on her like claws scraping a block of ice.  She didn't know who she was more worried about, her brother or the mysterious Mr. Wow.

Light!  She didn't even know his real name!  She was going to have to remedy that when she got her hands on him again.  The moment they'd ported in, he'd run off headlong into a pile of those mildly irate elementals.  Burn him!  What did he think he was doing?  Sure, they'd been bearing down on the group from behind, unseen, but why did he have to be so blasted heroic about the whole thing?  Sacrificing himself to distract them.  That sort of chivalry didn't exist anymore.  Well, he'd better have gotten away.  If not, she was going to kill him!

Ugh!  What was she even doing?  Going on like this about a man she hardly knew.  Unbidden memories of kissing him after the fall of the Lich King resurfaced vividly in Decedereful's brain.  His warm body pressed against hers.  Hot and cold, melding together.  Melting, warm and wet.  There was just something so... natural about him.  She hated to admit it, but he really appealed to her more animal instincts.  She felt like a felling druid in heat.  Decedereful sighed and then looked at the undead Mage who was staring up at her thoughtfully.  Not for the first time, the Death Knight was glad she couldn't blush.

Minerva smiled knowingly, then blinked away to a nearby table to begin dusting it off.  What was that woman playing at?  Decedereful had a hard time seeing her as the mother of the hard nosed Paladin she'd come to know as her brother's wife.  Fuubaar definitely took after her father.

Speaking of her father, where was he?  And the rest of them!  By the Light, she was going to put them all in a block of ice when they got back.  Why had she even agreed to leave?  She should be helping, not hiding out in a manor, waiting for her world to fall apart around her.

Decedereful stalked over to the wall and stared blankly at the calendar pinned up there.  Idly, she noted that the month had been changed.  Fulguralis's minions must have been keeping the place while they'd all been gone.  Speaking of them, where were they?  Normally, she'd come back to find them all sitting around the table playing board games or hanging from the ceiling talking in tongues, or whatever it was demonic minions did in their spare time.

Ever so slowly, the actual letters of the month settled in on her.  She glanced out a nearby window.  For a moment she was puzzled, then her mouth dropped.  Could this be right?  How had this happened?

"Abi," Decedereful said with trepidation.  "Come here."

The bookworm stood up and sauntered over.  "Hmm, that's odd," Abigora announced, putting a long finger on the calendar page.  "It seems someone's marked of months-worth of days in advance."

"Or..." Decedereful offered, pointed out the window.

Minerva blinked over and took a look, "How strange.  It seems as if time itself has been distorted on us."

"Impossible, time is linear," Abigora argued.  "Clearly, a mistake has been made in the calendar."

"Then how do you explain that," Decedereful asked, pointing once again out there window, where the foliage seemed to match the calendar.

"Perhaps some sort of disease or fungus?" Abigora offered.

Minerva had summoned up a complex image of what appeared to be celestial bodies.  She was studying it intently.  "No disease, I'm afraid," she said.  "Look here," she pointed, "the movement of the stars seems to match the month too.  I'm afraid we've been transported through time."

"You did this!" Decedereful sputtered.  "You... your... Magey portals!"

"I did no such thing, young lady!" Minerva said, crossing her arms.  She blinked over to the door and opened it.  "Oh, dear," she moaned.

Decedereful hurried to her side.  The vista outside was alien to her.  Where she should have seen the unbroken rolling plains and grassy knolls of the countryside, she saw pockets of charred land.  Ruined structures dotted the landscape, remnants of other homesteads.  The landscape had been drastically changed, though the manor seemed miraculously untouched.

"What happened?" Decedereful asked the obvious.

"A Cataclysm, of course," Abigora answered matter-of-factly.

Decedereful glared at her.  "How long have we been gone?"

Minerva responded, "It's hard to say, dear.  Everything is... rather disheveled.  I'm not sure why.  Several months for sure, maybe even a year."

Decedereful issued a tinny whistle, "Then who knows where our loved ones are now.  They could have back already and out searching for us."

"That is," Abigora interjected, "assuming that the second portal was the one that malfunctioned."

"My portal did not malfunction!" Minerva said, folding her arms.

"All the same," Decedereful replied, "we ride to Stormwind.  Hopefully we'll be able to track down what happened once we get there."

Cataclysm Leveling Specs

Got a nice little request from reader Zorch the other day to share my leveling plans for Cataclysm.  We are on the cusp of the expansion where we will once again be encourage to reach a new plateau.  This one is only five levels away, so might go by quicker than those of years past.  The levels are much higher, though, so we may be surprised at the length too.  Either way, it's been a while.  We also have new trees to contend with, so there's plenty to discuss.  I'm going to try to talk about both my 'lock and DK, and I've convinced Fuu to pass on some brief Paladin info too.  I'll mash it all up into this post for one stop shopping.  'Tis the season. 

Affliction Warlock Leveling Spec
My primary spec remains Affliction.  It's what I plan to raid with, even if it's not the top spec, so I'll want to get some practice in with it on the route to 85 as well.  With the pared down trees, I don't really need to spec differently for a leveling build.  I can just work toward what I plan to raid with at 85.

The Affliction spec will have good self healing that will make it useful for questing, but really I'm interesting in dungeon running with it.  Rumor has it we may be called on to CC a bit, and with elementals being the big baddies in Cataclysm, Banish may come in handy quite a bit.  Additionally, Soul Swap provides a powerful spell that serves to make us dreadfully efficient in the dungeon, target-at-time paradigm.

My starting spec will be what I'm raiding with now.  See this post for specifics.  First, I plan to fill up Bane and then move on to Improved Soul Fire.  ISF will entice me to utilize my instant-cast soul fires a lot more in order to give me a temporary haste boost.  I imagine it'll almost be sort of like how we used Life Tap with the old glyph.  We'll want to use it to start, and then a couple more times throughout the fight.  We probably will not be able to keep it up like we did with the LT buff, but it will be helpful like a trinket.

The last point will likely go into Demonic Embrace for the Stamina buff.  It'll add a bit more survivability to the spec and seems to be the best of the low hanging fruit.  The only choice I can see is that I might want to take a point or two in Improved Fear if it's usage as CC becomes vital.  That may be my only respec.  If you find yourself using Fear a lot, don't be afraid to shuffle a point or two that way.  I'd take it out of Demonic Embrace and likely just use one, but really it just depends on if the utility is worth it.  There is that glyph out there that helps too.

Demonology Warlock Leveling Spec
I've traditionally really enjoyed having a Demonology off-spec for soloing.  I expect this not to change come Cataclysm.  Demonology traditionally provides hardiness and better burst ability.  Depending on how fast stuff seems to be dying, I like to have this spec to pop into.  Also, the AoE capability of this spec far outstrips anything else, so it's great for farming and kill quests.  Really it just depends on you can survive the gathering or not.

Like Affliction, I'll start here, and then fill up Shadow and Flame and Improved Soul Fire.  In this case, that basically does it.  The time to use this spec would be for AoE and quick dying trash.  If I need to be precise or have CC, I'm going to roll with Affliction.  This is a great spec to have in my back pocket, as it were.  I like to use this if I PvP on my 'lock as well.  The Hand of Gul'dan spell and talent makes it pretty effective, though I normally PvP on my DK, since it's what I rolled her for.  So pretty simple here for my secondary spec.

Dual Wield Frost Death Knight Leveling Spec
I plan to PvP level this toon.  As such, my spec reflects PvP utility while still being pretty solid for group DPS.  I'll start here, and then fill out Improved Icy Talons, Epidemic, and Bladed Armor.  I love howling blast with the slowing effect for PvP, as well as utility of the Frost spec.  I think the DW makes it a great PvP spec.  DK's can be pretty solid against casters, who seem to have the upper edge right now.  I popped in a spell reflect meta-gem, and your anti-magic shield really comes in handy.  Plus you can grip and rip, which is fun, and Icy Chains provides a nice root.  A Killing Machine powered obliterate is great for a killing blow.  The added bonus to my 'lock self is that I still get to play with DoTs here.

Fuubaar's Paladin Leveling Plans
Yes, I'm cutting in because, damn it! I'm important! I'll be continuing to level Fuubaar as Protection like I have every expansion. Now, leveling as prot is a bit easier for me because I have my pocket DPS. If you've never leveled as prot, I will warn you, it is a bit slower but you will never die. The main idea was that you would round up some mobs in the area and AoE them down. Now, from what I've heard from people in the Cataclysm Beta is that these mobs hit harder and are not meant for a DPS class to be able to pull more than a few at a time without running into trouble. Now, I'm going to assume since we have more survivability and lack in the DPS department that we would still be able to pull more mobs than a DPS but it will just take even longer to burn them down if you're soloing. I would highly suggest when pulling questing mobs, to test them out first before going head first into 10 of them at once o.0

Anyways, Fuu's talent plan will look a little different than what she's using now for Raiding. Mainly, from what I've found is that as long as you have the "Core" Talents, pretty much everything else is a bonus.

Major "must have" Talents in the protection tree are:

• Divinity- Mana and healing are going to be extremely important for healers and easier you can be on them, the happier they will be. We love our healers & we wont them to love us back. <3 Also, I know that I ranted a bit about this talent before being so worthless in Wrath but our other options aren't really all that great either.
• Judgements of the Just - Survivability
• Toughness- Survivability
• Sanctuary- Our Crit Immunity
• Hammer of the Righteous- Our AoE tanking ability
• Wrath of the Lightbringer- Huge DPS/Threat Boost Talent
• Shield of the Righteous- High Single target Holy Power Dump Threat Move (also triggers Holy Shield)
• Vindication- Attack Power Debuff on Mobs/ Bosses aka Survivability
• Holy Shield - Now passive. Is triggered by SotR and now increases our Damage Blocked (10% increase) rather than increased block rate.
• Sacred Duty- Passive Threat Bonus. "Set it and forget it!"
• Shield of the Templar- Avenger's Shield Cooldown.
• Ardent Defender- Our, now, new non-passive 1UP

With your left over talent points, you can pretty much put them where you feel is most useful for you. If you like to pvp as prot, then look for Hammer of Justice for faster stuns. If you want to focus more on AoE tanking, look at Hallowed Ground for cheaper Consecrations. Personally, I'll be looking more towards flexibility for chain pulling questing mobs so I'll want longer ranged Judgment pulls over in the Ret tree & cheaper WoG with Eternal Glory for soloing some of the tougher stuff.

If you would like to read further information regarding some highly theorycrafted Talent breakdowns, glyphs, gems, enchants, etc. I highly suggest you pay Theck over at Maintainadin a visit.

Ful's Meta Plans
I haven't worked at all on a tanking spec for my DK; I just don't feel like doing it since the death of DW Frost tanking.  That was sort of a fun little niche before, and I haven't really gotten excited about speccing into the Blood tree.  I've heard tales of disease-less tanking, but I just don't have the motive or opportunity to try it out yet, hence why I've not updated my guide.  I will likely remove the link.  I may get back to it in the future, but for now it's on hold.  Also, I'm going to hold off on updating the Enchanting List until I get more familiar with the expansion.  For now, those enchants are still pretty solid, though you'll want to watch out for things like taking spirit as a 'lock because it's worthless now.

Quite simply, these are my plans for leveling in Cataclysm.  My 'lock will be leveled through dungeons and quests.  My DK through PvP.  I also plan to roll a Druid Worgen from scratch for a healing capable toon.  I'm sure I'll write some about that along the way.  It seems to me that the pared down trees make things like a specific "leveling" spec a relic of the past.  The only wild card is really how much you, individually, will be required to use certain CC spells.  Thus, you may want to shift one or two points around, but the base is still there.  I can't say I'm altogether displeased with the simplicity of speccing, though it does make for less interesting writing.  Look for some reflections once I get rolling and I'll update my guides once I hit 85.  Definitely hit me up with any questions you might have along the way, and I'll at the very least try to research and make an educated response, even if I haven't experienced it yet.  Otherwise, pleasant leveling!

Portals: I Wish I Could Take 'em or Leave 'em

Before it gets too cold, I wanted to touch on one of the hot topics in the blogosphere currently. Namely, the removal of portals from the game. I've read a plethora of articles, ranging from outraged to supportive, and wanted to throw in my two cents.  I promise to talk about leveling in the expansion as a Warlock tomorrow (as requested!).  For today, we're going to talk portals.

The issue appears to be pretty dichotomous.  People are either completely against the change and the new time sink it represents, or supportive of forced voyeurism.  I find myself firmly in the middle.  Sadly, while a rant would probably be more entertaining, I just can't get worked up about this topic either way.

On one side, we have the time sink issues.  I get it, traveling a large world is a bitch.  Look no further for sympathetic ears.  I rode around on my spiffy Dreadsteed all of last Wednesday, surveying the damage.  It was painful.  I was reminded how much I miss flying and the freedom it represents.  Flight points just aren't the same once you've experienced the roaming nature of Outlands and Northrend.

Boats hold no appeal to me either.  I mean, you have to find the correct dock, and it's not always clear which boat travels to which destination.  Sure, I understand that the ambient decoration gives you a clue, but is a wooden placard to much to add saying: "This boat takes you to Darnassus, Realm of the Nelfs and Goats!"  At least then I would feel more confident.  Not that sittin on the dock of the bay holds any specific thrill for me either, though I'm all right with the song. Actually, I find the lyrics especially apt: I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time.  Anyone else have that roll through their head whilst waiting on a ship?

Yet, on the other hand, I've come to appreciate the grandeur of the docks again.  The revitalized attention to aesthetic detail that characterizes the "new" old world.  The familiar, yet unfamiliar.  The Shattering really is a sightseers paradise, replete with ooh's, ahh's, and wtf is that's.  I'm also remembering all those things I used to do while in flight.  My addons are in tip top shape.  My bags are organized.  My quest log is focused (text read!).  My UI has never looked better.  As an added bonus, the kitchen gets cleaner, my bladder thanks me, and the guitar that is perpetually near my desk is finally back in tune. 

There are benefits to boring travel.  The world feels bigger.  The action is more appreciated.  The pacing is less frenetic.  Lack of flight is only temporary, so some relief is on the horizon, though it won't help you get to Outlands or Northrend expediently.  Still, with the majority of people trying to level to 85, I have to wonder how much of a problem it's going to be.  I mean, are we going to be traveling back to those places a lot once the new content is open?  I suppose only time will tell.  My point is just that today, now, is the worst this feeling is going to get.  It's only going to get better.

I've always striven to not simply complain, but to complain and offer alternative solutions.  This case is no different.  I have several ideas that would make me feel better.

First, and foremost, a thinly veiled shot at mage identity:  Grant a couple other classes some sort of ability to teleport to all the major cities.  I think part of the pain right now is that we're beholden to only one class to get around expediently.  This almost gives mages an additional, profitable profession.  Back in my days with Final Fantasy (the old one, not the new one), White Mages were the other people who could port as well.  They used to make a living standing on the street corners and selling their services.  It disgusted me then, and it disgusts me now.  Still, I'm probably prejudiced about that point.   Maybe a better idea would be to tie it to a profession that everyone could get, should they choose to level.  Make engineers portals work to main cities (and not random places in the world).  On principle, I dislike being enticed to roll a class simple to get around effectively.  How does this fit at all in the "bring the player, not the class" strategy?

Maybe that's too harsh, though.  After all, porting is really a staple of the mage identity.  I'd hate to give them a complex (/snicker).  Instead, what if we set up some NPC mages that will port you to cities for a set price.  Something to regulate the market, sink some money, and provide convenience.  Maybe something like 10 gold for a port.  Prohibitive for low levels, but not for max toons.  The attractiveness in this option lies in the flexibility of choice.  You would save money by traveling "normally", but it would cost more time.  Seems to fit with a lot of the other choices within Azeroth, no?  Time or Money has always been a trade-off.

But, you're a warlock, you might say.  You have summons!  Summoning doesn't help me get anywhere.  In fact, summoning, to me, seems very counter-intuitive to the whole Warlock sense of self.  I mean, we're supposed to be selfish, right?  Hence why we've traditionally lacked buffs and really haven't complained about it.  How does summoning benefit us?  I can count on one hand the number of times I've helped someone get somewhere, and do you think any of them deigned to tip me?  No way.  Maybe if we could be summon by a special Warlock coven in each city.  That'd be pretty neat.  Perhaps that's another solution, allow class specific teleports to certain places.  They already kind of do it for Druids, but make it convenient, useful places. 

Really, the overarching solution to everyone's complaints seems to be this: We crave options.  Whenever you tell us there's only one way to get somewhere, we're probably going to be a bit miffed.  Right now, there is really only one avenue to get to each of Outlands and Northrend.  There's sort of two to get Ironforge from Stormwind if you count the Tram, but what about to Darnassus?  Only boats.  Sure you can come up with convoluted ways, but I'm talking direct routes.  We're a society that puts added value on things like direct flights and digital downloads.  For better or worse, we just like having the choice to Buy It Now, even if there's added cost.  At least then, it's up to us.

Yes, my biggest and only beef with the current non-portal situation is the lack of choice.  Maybe today I want to stop and smell the roses, but maybe tomorrow I don't.  People changes their minds, and since WoW is all about accommodating as many people as possible, why so narrow a field on travel?  If they can make raiding accessible to so much of the population, then I'm sure they can come up with a better solution to the travel than is currently implemented.  You can argue that there's such a thing as "too accessible", but all I'm asking for is consistency.  Don't go zig one way and zag the other. 

Like I said, maybe it won't be a big deal once the expansion and new content drops.  I'm certainly willing to give it the benefit of the doubt before I fly off the handle.  Either way, I'm just going to make the best of it because there are a so many other really cool things they've done.  I suppose one confusing decision shouldn't negate dozens of other well thought out ones.  It all matters on the view from where you're sitting.  On this boat, the view may be vexing, but it sure is dazzling. 

Interview with a Warlock (and a Paladin)

Great news everyone! We got featured on Zam!  I'm pretty sure I mentioned it several weeks ago, but the article finally went up.  They did a wonderful job with it, actually reproducing the email interview in its entirety (surprising, since we were a bit mouthy).  There's a nice little blurb as well.  So I'd like to direct you over there today (especially if you are BBB, Saresa, or Nibuca... all of whom I note as early influences.  They didn't give you links, but I will, and I figure it's nice to know when you've inspired someone and see your name in unexpected e-print.  Maybe not, too). 

Link blocked for you?  Don't worry, it is for me too.  However, if you just subscribe to their feed by plopping this website in your feed reader (you can always unsubscribe later, should you wish), our article is currently the second one down.  If your reader is blocked, well then I can't help you.  Apologies for your terrible work tyrants.

(Side note: I got Patricelli right, but misspelled Chicanery.  On the fly, in email.  Go figure.  Editing and Spellcheck apparently didn't catch it either.  Apologies to Nibs.  I got the Mystic part right.  I think.) 

Feel free to leave any comments here if you've checked out the interview and want to know more.  Or if you just want to make fun of my spelling.  That's cool too.  And anyone coming for the first time via Zam: Welcome!  Watch your heads for falling fireballs. 

Pink Box... Giggity?

If that doesn't get me some nefarious Google searches, I don't know what will. Unfortunately for them, I have neither naked Succubus pics nor Thrall in a thong.  (I mean, he just met that girl and she's trying to get his clothes off, amirite?  Also... /shudder).  Nay, what I'm going talk about is much more mundane.  Well, maybe not if you're a prolific PvP'er like Cynwise.  

If you're a diligent 'lock follower, you may have already see this over there, but the short story is that Isle of Conquest is borked as shit.  And this is not like, "oh it's broken because we always lose, QQ."  No, this is legit breaking.  Like embarrassing pink box breaking.  That's like climbing out of a car wearing a skirt and no panties, embarrassing... at least in software terms.  Or something.

The omnipresent hangar issue was there, that's not what this is about either.  If you've played on the Isle in the last, oh, three months or so, you've probably been told very sternly not to go to the hangar.  It's been worthlessly broken for quite a while.  I remember my first time experiencing it.  Folks said "Avast ye! Go not to the hangar lest ye place thine soul in peril!"  Being a bad sailor, I just had to clicky.  What can I say?  I'm not a trusting sort.  I want to see it for myself.  Several moments later, and I found myself dead in some water area that wasn't near any sort of flying apparatus.  Yes, apparently the mages screwed up the portal.   Seemed like sabotage to me. 

The latest bug takes the lying cake though.  As far as mage shenanigans go, it's akin to moving the entire city of Dalaran and no even having the goddamn common courtesy to leave rubble or any sort of textured skin behind.  Not only does it suck, but it only affects the Alliance side of thing.  So it's Horde mages.  The worst kind of the worst.

(As far as tactics go, I'm rather jealous.  If our mages had come up with the "replace the gates with indestructible pink box" strat first, man we'd be sitting pretty.)

"A bug!" sayeth you?  "Working as intended," comes the reply.  At least until Cat and the resources free up to fix it, I suppose.  Until then, destroying a gate in order to gain entry to the Horde stronghold is only a farce of a strategy.  The pink herring, if you will.

I feel like I'm just not adequately describing how duped one feels when, upon finally battering the last batter that the gate can hold, a giant pink box appears.  Screenshot or it didn't happen... My first view was quite astonishing.  Imagine my surprise when the cry "the side gate hath fallen!" went up, and I hustle around the corner only to be confronted with this:

Umm, nice box?

I wanted to get an idea of the scope of this blockage, so I found a convenient nearby catapult and launched myself over it.  Quick thinking had me snapping a few pics in flight.  If you'll notice, my trajectory lands me outside the front gate... bad aim, but good pics!

This pink box needs a waxing.  That's no bush, it's whole tree!

Clever mages!  Not to be deterred (and because the BG was sort of degenerating at that point, as borked things have a tendency to do), we hustled down to the workshop.  We took that over, and grabbed a bunch of Demolishers, intent to destroy the front gate.  Maybe that would prove the avenue of our salvation.  But it was not to be.  The pink box trap was sprung there as well!

A pair of pink boxes.  You usually have to pay double for that action.

At this point, people are bemoaning all number of things in the battleground chat.  Mages are blamed.  Developers are blamed.  Blame is Chuck Norrised.  Hell hath no fury like a bunch of PvP'ers scorned. 

"TURTLE!" the cry went up.  We were, at this point, up about 100 reinforcements to 70ish.  Sounds good to me.  It's never a bad time to hop in the old mini-van and shoot pizzas at people.  Turtle power!  Splinter would have been proud.

Making haste our non-pink boxed gates, I found a maelstrom of activity.  Apparently the Horde had sensed their window of fun swiftly closing.  They decided to storm the keep.  They'd already captured our graveyard and the rallying cries went up.  However, it seemed like we'd be too late; they were already inside.  I ran as fast as I could, hoping against hope that I could get up into the keep to assist our commander. 

Sadly, as I sprinted into the keep courtyard, a scoresheet popped up.  Only 50 or so reinforcements short of victory, we must have been overwhelmed.  BUT WAIT!  It says Alliance victory!  What is this about?  I thought we were all back at the keep, eating pizza and practicing our skateboarding moves.  How did we achieve victory? 

If I had to guess, I'd say that a task force of airborne shock troops stormed their keep simultaneously and that somehow we downed the big guy first.  Considering the pains it took us to gain entry to their fort, I'd say it was only fair justice, but really I was more puzzled that we'd apparently catapulted that many people in.  (Catapulting being, naturally, our only way in).  More likely, though, the win/loss counter is borked as well and it actually meant to say we'd lost.  (Maybe our mages held the ultimate trump card). 

That may be pessimistic, but I was inexplicably 3-0 in Isle of the Conquest this weekend.  The pink box strat was only used in one of those attempts, the others were straight turtles to the max.  Which is where I must contradict poor Cynwise.  Apparently on Lothar in whatever battlegroup we're in now (is it still Ruin?), queuing up for IotC as Horde is a distinctly bad idea.  At least when I'm in the fray, that is.  I've yet to lose despite the odds being stacked against us. 

Really, I think the Horde just get distracted by the sheer effectiveness of the Pink Block Strat, and they forget that they still have to, you know, win.  That, or maybe it provides a unique rallying cry for the Alliance, plus some much needed direction.  It's a well known fact that in BG's, the more organized force usually wins.  That is, if you can work together, you stand a much better shot at a victory.  As far as the Alliance in IotC, we're being forced to work together.  It's not like we have options, as Cyn points out.  Docks and Turtle, that's it.  See what happens when Alliance actually plays together?  We're invincible! (/twirls pen)

At least until those crafty mages come up with another crazy strat.  Maybe the Blue Exploding Boat At the Docks Strat.  Then we'll be really pissed, and no amount of Blaming The Dude That Capped Hangar will save us.  

Not Tricky Enough, Apparently

"Head for the Chopper!" the Demon yelled, pointing at one of the busted engineering mounts among the wreckage of the Mage Quarter in Stormwind.

"They just keep coming," Decedereful panted beside him, twin blades caked with blood and a frosty aura surrounding her.

The Demon hurled a large ball of fire passed the Death Knight's head, striking a whirling air elemental that had been stalking up behind her.  It exploded in a maelstrom of cuffs and gusts.  A slightly smaller water element streaked by, heading for a much larger copy of itself.  Minerva ran close behind her elemental, flinging spells as she went.  Abigora ran up and plopped down a Lightwell.  She then reached into her bag and pulled out a different tome.  Opening it, it almost seemed like she only noticed them there as an afterthought.

"Help yourselves," she said, before wreathing herself in shadow and jogging off after the Undead Mage.

The Demon dipped a clawed hand into the Lightwell after tapping some of his health to restore his magical ability.  He watched as the Death Knight gripped another elemental and pulled it towards her.  Soon enough, her flashing blades were lost in a whirl of shaved ice as she attacked the invader.  Flapping big purple wings, the Demon leaped into the melee.

Lifeless manacles littered the ground, evidence of the obscene scope of the invasion.  Stormwind was being overrun, and their efforts didn't even seem to be making a dent.  They could only hope they had bought enough time to evacuate all of the citizenry.

Decedereful spun in a circle, finishing low to the ground, blades spread out before her.  The Demon next to her burned hotly, a poignant counterpoint to her ice.  Together, they ran towards the wrecked bike.  Minerva and Abigora joined them.  They'd lost Mr. Wow in the crowd long ago.  Hopefully he was still alive.

A shadow danced in an alleyway to the left.  The Demon spun to hurl fire in the direction of the movement, but held himself in check.  Captain Melvin Brightrune walked calmly out of the darkness, leaving what appeared to be a small pile of manacles behind.  The Warrior looked... well, about the same as always: jaw hanging at an obscure angle, but otherwise at the same level of decomposition.

"Har hiss Hay?" the Captain asked.

"What?" the Demon growled.

"Where is Faith?" Minerva translated.  "Honey, fix your jaw before you speak.  You're embarrassing me."

Brightrune snapped his jaw in place, then used it to frown.  He opened it to say something else, but snapped it shut when a Stormwind guard ran up to them.  The guard nearly attacked the Undead from of force of habit, but the Demon stepped in the way, blocking the young man's path.

"Where are you coming from Lieutenant?" it questioned.

The guard's eyes widened to saucers at it took in the imposing Demon.  Fulguralis let the form expire, returning to his usual visage.  That seemed to calm the guard. 

"Well, sir, the Park has fallen," he reported.  "There's not much we can do.  These blasted elementals are everywhere and the Captain has ordered my group to retreat."  He stopped, looking as if he had more to say but was unsure of how to proceed.

"Out with it, boy," Brightrune ordered.

The guard's instinct to obey authority won out.  "Well, sir, there's a lone Paladin - she seems to have lost her mind - but she's all alone.  She refuses to leave.  I thought perhaps since you lot were obviously not, um, conscripts, that perhaps you could..." he trailed off, looking back toward his abandoned post.

Fulguralis and Brightrune looked at each other.

Fuubaar," said Fulguralis

"Faith," said the Captain, simultaneously.

The Warlock turned toward the rest of the group.  "Minerva, get everyone else out of here.  If the Park is truly lost, it doesn't make sense for all of us to risk getting killed.  I've got a few tricks up my sleeve still.  I'll get her out and meet you guys back at the manor."

The Captain stepped forward, "I'm going too.  She's my bloody daughter."

Fulguralis eyed his father-in-law and nodded.  "Fine.  The rest of you, get out of here.  Now!"

To his surprise, they all obeyed.  Perhaps it was the overwhelming hopelessness of their plight, or simply the crazy look in the Warlock's eyes, but they obeyed.  Had Fulguralis been a Light-fearing man, he might have said a prayer of thanks.  After all, it was the season for it.  As it was, he simply jogged over to the entrance to the Park.  Sure enough, standing in the middle of the green, completely surrounded by elementals, was his wife.  She was beautiful in her holy wrath, surrounded by the Light, laying waste around her with a vengeance.  Still, it was obvious she was fighting a losing battle.  She'd always been a protector, not an avenger.

Fulguralis cast a spell that left a glowing green circle under his feet and a spinning green orb above his head.  He turned and looked at the decaying old man next to him.  The Captain raised his eyebrows and hefted his sword.

"Seems like an odd time for a disco," he commented wryly.

"Just keep them off me so I can get to her and get back here, then we're gone," the Warlock said.

"Aye, I can do that," Brightrune said, then, after a thought, added, "Don't get yourself killed in there, son.  I'd hate to have to hate another husband." 

Fulguralis smiled, then released the Demon inside of him.  In a flash, he sprouted wings and claws, glowing a dark purple.  The Demon was still smiling.

They both charged in.  One moment they'd been standing outside, the next they were being buffeted by the attacks of at least a dozen elementals.  Fuubaar saw them, a large Demon and an Undead Warrior.  She didn't react immediately.  Then they worked their way to her side, slaying several unnatural cyclones in the process.  The Demon reached out and grabbed her by the wrist with one clawed hand, nabbing the Warrior with the other.

Then they were out of the battle, back in the entryway of the Park.  The Warrior patted the Demon on the back.  Fuubaar turned on them, eyes ablaze.

"What do you think you're doing?" she yelled in a righteous rage.

"Rescuing you," the Demon growled back.

"Did I ask to be rescued?" she retorted.  "Especially not by a demon and his pet Forsaken!  The Light will exact It's revenge!"

Righteous hammer in hand, she attacked them.  The Demon dodged away and Brightrune almost didn't get his sword up in time to block her furious blow.  He staggered backwards beneath her onslaught.  Fulguralis forced the Demon out.  It was obvious she didn't recognize them.  He needed to calm her before she killed her father.  She was pushing him steadily back onto the Park green with maddened attacks.  The elementals still swarmed nearby, just waiting for them to get close enough before reengaging. 

"Fuubaar!  No!" he yelled, but his voice was lost as a horrific screech sounded overhead.

Everything stopped.  Brightrune, Fuubaar, and Fulguralis all looked up.  Even the elementals seemed to pause in their writhing.  A giant dragon, wings aflame, hovered above.  It wasn't from a brood that Fulguralis recognized, and it was pissed.  Its wings dripped liquid fire, and magma flowed off of it's talons.  Coals glowed deep within its belly, and beady orange eyes fixated on them.  Once more, it let out a horrible screech, widening it's gigantic metal jaw line.  To Fulguralis, it looked like it was about to take a bite out of the Park.

"Deathwing," the Captain hissed.  "Faith.  Take your husband and leave," he said, stepping between her and the dragon aspect.

Fuubaar dropped her hammer to the ground, finally seeing the Warrior for the first time.  "Father?" she asked, wonder coloring her voice. 

"Now is not the time," he said.  "Go."

Fulguralis shrugged his shoulders and a shadowy glass orb rolled down out of his sleeve and into his palm.  They didn't have time.  Not even ten more seconds.  Deathwing was upon them, and he apparently didn't care for the Park much.  Even as the Warlock watched, the dragon raised a clawed foot and prepared to rain death down upon them.  Fulguralis played his last trick: he threw the soulstone at his wife's feet.  It shattered, the dark smoke it had contained swirling up around her quickly before dissipating.

Fuubaar's head snapped around to fix him with an angry gaze, "What are you doing to me?"

"I already told you," the Warlock answered, "rescuing you."

Then, the world exploded.

As Promised

Fuu was all like "What are you doing?" Me: "Just a second..."

Because if you can't Slaughtered Lamb...

Bonus: We convinced Fuu to see if the random STV swirl was lethal.  We gave her slowfall.  See the small spec that is her? 

For reference: Swirl = death.