Ironbound

Oh my, I'm deviating from pets again! Haha...I told myself to keep this blog strictly to my stables, but I guess I can break the rules if I want to. It's my blog after all. ;D

I am incredibly delighted to find myself the owner of what has been my favourite proto-drake model in the entire game, also one which I doubted I would ever get.

Last night I joined an Ulduar 25 run thanks to Drood, and about 5 hours later I had a pocket full of achievements and a beautiful mount in the mail.

I love proto-drakes. I adore every colour they come in. Ironbound was without a doubt my favourite of all though. A huge thanks goes out to Darkmancer for leading such a successful raid group, to Drood for letting me know about it, and to everyone else in it that helped. What a fun night!

Stalwart Protector

Feng has surprisingly remained in my stables for all this time. I really wasn't sure if I was going to keep such a sporadic tame, but I'm very fond of this wolf.

He's rather subtle, a quiet and steadfast pet that brings to mind a somber guardian type of personality. It's as though he still maintains the rigid demeanor from his time as a Bleeding Hollow Orc hound. He seems so serious and intent at all times, unwavering and protective. I feel a definite sense of ease when he's by my side, his presence is reassuring. Though I don't believe he'll soften up too much, I do think his new life is bringing about a positive change in his attitude little by little.

Though I despise Hellfire Peninsula, I found it only fitting to take some screenshots there. Feng suits the zone completely with it's harsh, battle-torn land.

Killing Spree

I've never been much of a PvPer, though I do casually enjoy it at times.

Lately I've found myself getting into it more, mainly due to my intense desire to own the Ruthless Gladiator's set before it's gone. Purple and green samurai armor! :o

Anyways, with my more frequent ventures into battlegrounds, I've found I really love having Reznor for my PvP pet. I'd never really used a Tenacity pet before, but his increased survivability plus that handy slowing ability has really made him shine.

I'm loving that I get to spend more time with him. He's one of my favourite pets, yet I don't see him all that often. Now I go battle Alliance at least once a day with him by my side, and it's been a really great bonding experience. ^^

Meaningful Rares

Expanding upon my previous post, I also have some mobs that I am greatly attached to, but not necessarily as tamed pets. I love them in the wild, as themselves. It's fun to visit them and just know they're out there - free but meaningful to me.

One of my favourites would probably have to be Goretooth, the rare crocolisk in Nagrand. He has four spawn locations, but I especially love finding him in the little lake in the south. It's like his own personal wading pool. :) I did have him tamed at one point in time, but I feel he has a far stronger character being the giant rare that he is.

Then of course we have the elusive Rekk'tilac. A tarantula who was always so rare that I never even saw him in person until after Cataclysm. He became something of a white whale to me, I grew obsessed with finding him, and when I never could, it just drew me that much closer to him. Even now with the greatly reduced spawn timers of old world rares, I still don't see him often. I pass by Searing Gorge whenever I'm able, and 99% of the time he's not there. It's like a running joke we have, he avoids Veph constantly. Nonetheless, all of the hiding just makes it that much more special when I do finally see him.

Finally there's Chitter. Kalli and I's baby actually. ^^ I smile every time I see him darting around by his little tree. Knowing I named an adorable rare mob just gives me warm fuzzy feelings when I feel down, so he'll always be special.

Those three certainly top my list of meaningful rares in the wild, though I have others I'm also quite fond of. I would have included Deth'tilac in this entry, but he felt a bit different since I tamed him. Deth himself is still one of my favourite rares despite being new.

Ressan the Needler deserves a mention. I don't have a super strong bond with him, but I do love seeing him, and always have ever since my first Forsaken character and encountering him in Tirisfal. Humar the Pridelord has very good memories for me, being the first rare creature I ever camped for back on my original Horde hunter, and also the catalyst of a fantastic Petopian guild night. The Sewer Beast is a rare that I've yet to ever see in person, but I still love the idea of him and hope to find him one day. Even Vultros has a certain enigma around him that I've always enjoyed. 

Hah, I guess there's more than I originally expected. I have a hard time disliking any rares for their in-game identities really, it's just cool to think of these named mobs wandering around standing out from the crowd. I don't mean as taming ambitions, just as elusive or special creatures to glimpse during your travels.

Honorary Pets

Two of my pets seem to have developed a habit of being rotational - sometimes they inhabit my stables, but there are many points where they are roaming free, yet I still consider them 'mine'.

Vorpal and Burton are whom I consider 'honorary pets'. They will always be special to me, yet I am able to let them go in times of need without feeling distraught. I'm honestly not sure why these two in particular have this trait. I can't do it with just any pet, most of my others I couldn't bear to part with unless it was going to be permanent. I have no idea why Vorpal and Burton are different, but they just are.

Burton spends his time in Tirisfal Glades, roaming the upper courtyards of Undercity, or perhaps lurking in Brill. I always know in my heart that's where he resides when he's not able to be with me in person.

Vorpal stays in Zangarmarsh where he maintains his persona of Count Ungula. He also can be with me in the form of a minipet or a mount, so I always have ways to feel close to him as well.

There are times when I miss these two, and usually I'll go and pick them up to reaquaint and catch up. Then they're free to go again should I require the stable space. It's a unique bond and I'm very glad I'm able to have this sort of connection to a couple of my pets. :)

Agamand

It's a heart shape! <3 Kind of...

Unsurprisingly I found myself going back to a Forsaken theme for name ideas. I can't help it, purple and green are just such iconic colours for them. :)

I thought an homage to a location or an NPC would be an appropriate choice, and that's where I decided on Agamand. The well-known mills in northern Tirisfal Glades, the family affected by the plague, and the more recent town of New Agamand in Howling Fjord. It was a good name that had history with the undead, and I liked that it complemented Almagest well. Not sure what it is with me and A names for my Madexxes, but that's how it seems to be. xD

I'm liking him more and more with each passing moment. :)

Smooches ;D

Giving in to the Inevitable

I had been trying to avoid this.

There is no doubt that Almagest was the Madexx I was meant to have. For a time I thought that perhaps the black colour was also one that would bond with me. The more I think about it, however, the more I realize there were just too many little details that didn't sit right. I had relinquished all desires for a black Madexx after finding Almagest. The decision to go after black was rather spontaneous, only manifesting after seeing a friend with one in Orgrimmar and deciding he looked nice beside Vephriel. The subsequent camp and spawn also were a little odd. I had been sitting at my favourite spot - the northernmost point. This is the location I first glimpsed Madexx (brown) in the Cataclysm Beta, and the exact spot that Almagest was waiting for me. I had ties to the spawn point, I can't really say why.

Black Madexx did not spawn there for me, though. Someone else found him at a different spot and notified me. Black Madexx went through two name changes, starting as Tectonicus and later morphing to Asmodeus. Though Asmodeus certainly clicked much better, there was still something missing. The feeling was reinforced after the introduction of Dante, and by the time I let Asmodeus go, I was not truthfully all that regretful. It was the right thing to do, we just weren't meant to be.

Now green Madexx was never on my list of candidates. At least...not at first. Looking at all the colours, green always just came up as, well, green. That's it. It was not until rather recently I truly began seeing the details in the model, namely the purple accents. Ah yes, green and purple. Trouble was creeping up, slowly but surely.

Aeomortis was a heavy catalyst in all this I think. That dragon really got me on a green+purple kick, and I couldn't stop thinking of those colours.

I had never seen a green Madexx in the wild, nor even many tamed ones. I honestly had never had a good chance to take a look at him. Recently while a group of us were helping a fellow hunter camp for TLPD, green Madexx spawned on Nesingwary. I was so tempted to go that night, I could feel the pull. I managed to resist though. I knew if I went I would be in trouble.

Then yesterday...my willpower fizzled. Kalli stopped by Uldum and lo and behold, green Madexx was up again. I hesitated for a moment, but then gave in. With the group summoning ability, I found myself there instantaneously, staring at a beautiful green scorpid. It's also when I noticed where we were standing - at my favourite spawn point.

I groaned, resigned myself to flying to Ramkahen to pick up Burton (it's okay buddy, I still love you!), and release him in order to tame myself a second Madexx. Again.

Thanks for the screenie Cai!

 It's been over a day now and I still have no idea what his name will be, but I know I'm already stuck with him.

Aeomortis

This post is a few days overdue, but I've been reeling from the shock and relief of finally being free of Deepholm.

Most of you who read this blog probably already know anyways, or were present at the time. xD Nonetheless, a blog entry for this evasive dragon is certainly needed. ^^

I spent the last 6 months living in Deepholm, hunting for Aeonaxx. This was the most grueling, unforgiving camp I have ever embarked on. I do not want to go through that ever again.

I am going to reuse what I wrote originally on the Petopia forums as it covers pretty much the whole thing.

So, I had my boyfriend's character parked at NW2, and I was parked at SW2. I heard NPCscan go off on my laptop (my boyfriend's character). I was so sure it was a Blood Seeker, but as I glance over I see the bright green glow from Aeonaxx circling below him. I jumped in my chair and grabbed my mouse, steering Veph north, hardly daring to believe he was spawned and at the OPPOSITE SIDE from where I was. I was shaking so much, terrified that I had already lost him, he was too far away, there were too many people in Deepholm. As I'm bolting towards him I'm trying to type and tell people what's happening. Twice I stopped moving because my hands were mashing my keyboard so much. I could have kicked myself, it was so stupid to even try typing before I had mounted him.

Somehow I reached him, and there he was just circling. Closing the distance between us, just those last few feet, were the longest seconds of my life. I was hovering over him right-clicking like mad to hop on him. Then I was on his back. And I couldn't even process what was happening.

I don't think I was even able to damage him for a good minute, I was in such a state of shock. Eventually I realized there were whelps hitting me, so I blindly mashed my attack buttons, somehow killing them and then focusing on Aeonaxx. It was so EASY. I was hardly even aware of what I was doing and he was down to half health in no time. I downed him right over the Upper Silvermarsh. Just as I knew he would be, PSD was my 100th mount. It was all perfect.

I just...I can't thank everyone enough for their support, and help, and company. I don't think I could have done this on my own. I would have given up long ago, but everyone here and in game kept me motivated. Thank you all so much. <333