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Thursday, April 7, 2011

Gnomore, Hinterlands Explorer

Gnomore pictorial 29-31

Deeprun tram to Ironforge and a flight to Dun Morogh for a quest. For some reason or another the griffon takes the turn at the right spot and gives me a chance to take another nice shot of a spot that came pretty familiar to Gnomore in the beginning of his career.


The quest was to find a lost pilot: everyone and their cousins - provided you have ever played a gnome or a dwarf, naturally - knows the location of this miserable wreck. Anyhow, it's just a jump from the questgiver and a stroll down the hill. But why is it so that you are always stealing from the dead?


Another nice thing the game teaches you.

My great big idea was to run to an area where the mining and herbalism could be improved. The initial thought was to run to Arathi Highlands to do the gathering, but on my way I noticed that I have an Archeology site in Dun Morogh area. Off we went, Gnomore on the lead, to the familiar spot.


Here I learned an important lesson about Archeology. You see, the last time I was here, digging for fame and fortune, I couldn't get the third excavation done. Those pesky troggs were at too close a level and caused some real trouble, you see. However, this time I got to dug that one spot only.

Lesson learned: if you leave that one excavation undone, you will have to come and finish it, it doesn't "get old" and reset.

Stupid thing.

You may have noticed that I have a slight problem with Gnomore: he tends to run the way he wants to. Especially when there are possibilities to explore, see new sights and - usually because of the former two - die. So it was this time, too, and only because of this view:


Yes. Uldaman. Badlands.

And there we went, even though I wanted to steer the little gnome to Arathi. Granted, that wouldn't have been a bit safer, but at least a bit.

Long story short...


And off to Arathi it was. Where it became clear that Gnomore has a mind of his own. Instead of wanting to explore the are any further, there was this one nice spot and it's repercussions...


Oh, bugger. Machinery and tunnel. You know gnomes, right? One leads to another and then to another and...

Before you know, something completely unexpected happens.


Gnomore, the Hinterlands Explorer Magnifique. Quite a surprise after all that running around Jintha'Alor and picking bottles and feeding griffons and...

Ok. We didn't... no, I didn't expect to end up in here to begin with:


But in the end, Gnomore is again in Ironforge, on his way to Gnomeregan which is still outpaced and most probably he will be unable to return the quest he was given on the way there.

The phasing sucks, big time, just because you cannot pass the story designed. Why can't it just 'restructure' itself if you pass certain level range above the fundamental change?

Gnomore is at lv31, with a bit over 3k gold and he's already an Artisan in Herbalism. Mining is just a few points short of that. After those skills cap, he will be stuck to picking up grey ores and herbs, forcing me to guide him around the world in search of adventure, exploration and pretty sights to see.

Till next time!
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