Massive Nerd

In case you missed it this week:

• MMO Champion has a spoiler of the Fall of the Lich King cinematic.
  
• Behold the awesomeness of the War for Cybertron figure prototypes.
  
• 30 Most Memorable Video Game Quotes - courtesy of Avalonna
  
• Lost? Entertainment Weekly has an interview with Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse explaining the Season 6 premiere.
  

(Read the previous entry here or refer to the Fiction Index for a full listing.)

Corrigan sat in his cell, shocked by what he just heard. This woman, this Warlock asking for his forgiveness? Baring her soul as if some sort of kindred spirit?

She was responsible for his capture. Leave forgiveness for the Priests. Paladins deal in Retribution.

His mind seemingly made up, Corrigan tried to get some rest. Normally, Corrigan could capture a few fitful hours of sleep. Tonight, even that was denied him. He was constantly awakened mere seconds after drifting off. He could not remember the nightmares, but the terror stayed with him. After several nightmares, he no longer wished to rest.

So Corrigan waited. They would be coming for him.

In time, after what Corrigan assumed would be daybreak, he was given a breakfast of bread crusts. Was it Sylphine? She did not speak, so he had no way of knowing. Were there other Warlocks tasked with feeding him? Did he even care? Should he?

The day passed, like any other. Occasionally, exhaustion would overwhelm Corrigan and he would drift off to sleep, but the nightmares were still there.

His evening feeding drawing near, Corrigan heard the familiar sound of footsteps, but not the soft ones he was used to. Somebody new was coming to his cell. His world shattered with a screech. Rusted metal grinding against itself. The door to his cell was open.

"Rise, Paladin."

Corrigan remained sitting. "Come make me, Warlock."

"As you wish, boy." The Warlock raised his palm and there was a brief glow to his hand. Corrigan was overcome with revulsion. He was choking in his cell and knew, just knew that he had to get out to live. Scrambling out, he found himself on his knees before the Warlock, gasping for breath.

"That wasn't so difficult, was it? Now, will you come along willingly, or should I persuade you some more?"

Corrigan hated the thought of submitting. Even worse, though, was the idea of being manipulated into doing what his captors wanted. One way or another, he was going to follow the Warlock, it may as well be on his own terms.

They left the cells behind. The halls beyond were bathed in torchlight. Corrigan could never have dreamed in his previous life just how happy he would be to see an actual torch. The hallways twisted and turned, actually leading farther down. In time, Corrigan found himself in what looked like an apothecary's laboratory. The Warlock led him to a table at the far end of the lab, used his power to restrain Corrigan and strap him down. Confident that Corrigan would not be going anywhere, the Warlock departed.

"Make this easy on yourself and submit now, Paladin."

Corrigan must have been exhausted to the point of delusion. He could have sworn the shadow in the corner was speaking to him.

"I promise you will not like what follows. This is your last chance."

The shadow moved. It unfolded itself, gaining a vaguely human form, but somehow off, like a bad reflection in dirty water. "What... are you?" Corrigan asked.

"What am I? Boy, I am a fragment, a whisper, an echo of what you could be. Submit yourself willingly now to become the host for my master and you will possess power previously unknown to any mortal."

Become the host for my master. What madness was this... thing... speaking. Suddenly, Corrigan remembered a discussion with his old mentor, Rondrey. The Legion.

"I will never submit to you or your master, DEMON. My faith in the Light is strong."

The Shadow Demon chuckled, "The Light? Where is your light now? If the Light favors you so strongly, let it strike me down right now!" The demon paused, raising his hands, as if physically reaching for the Light itself. "No? Too bad for you."

Why had the Light abandoned Corrigan when he needed it the most? Even here, outside his cell, he still could not feel its warm glow, always in his heart.

"This is your last chance, boy."

"Do what you will. I fear nothing you or your kind could do to me." Corrigan lied. For the first time in his life, he was truly alone, and he was terrified.

"Your choice. You will submit to me before my work is done. It is not a question of 'if,' merely 'when.'"

The Shadow Demon drifted to the door. He had legs, at least in form, but apparently felt no need to actually use them. He touched the door with his hand and it was opened from the other side by the Warlock guard from earlier. The Warlock stepped aside to allow... something into the room.

"Paladin, allow me to introduce you to my associate, Shaamon."

Corrigan was momentarily dumbfounded by the beast in front of him. Larger than any dog he had seen, with skin thick like leather. The size of the beast alone would have been striking, but its dominant feature was the two tentacles protruding from its back.

A Felhunter.

Well, I suppose there's good news. Publishers didn't release so many games in 2009 that I have no hope of playing them all. (I think there's still a few 2008 titles missing from my shelf)

The BAD news is that it's because they were all delayed until 2010.

I have the first few months planned out. I'm firmly in the world of Ferelden until late January, when Mass Effect 2 comes out. Hopefully I'll get my fill of that by March, when the much-anticipated Final Fantasy XIII finally comes out.

The rest of the year is wide-open, though. I'm looking closely at several titles:

Bioshock 2
Bayonetta
Darksiders
Dragon Quest IX
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Transformers: War for Cybertron

This will also probably be the year I finally pick up a PS3. I'm very interested in Heavy Rain and White Knight Chronicles.

Of course, I HAVE to bring the Massive back sometime soon. I'll likely be splitting my time between two games this year.

Cataclysm looks to be fixing many of the problems I currently have with WoW. Additionally, I will DEFINITELY be playing Star Wars: The Old Republic. I MAY even sneak into Final Fantasy XIV a bit on the weekends if my girlfriend decides to move on from FFXI.

Are there any big games I missed that you're looking forward to, reader?

With the year dwindling away, I thought I'd take a look at what went well and what... didn't.

Wins

3: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Name the last good Batman game. Go on, I dare you. Anyone? Bueller? Right. Arkham is the first Batman game in, let's just say, ever to even be playable. Not content to just make a FUNCTIONAL game, Rocksteady Studios went and made a GOOD one. Not only did they make it GOOD, they made it RIGHT. Bringing in Kevin Conroy, Mark Hammill and almost the entire voice cast from Batman: The Animated Series was a brilliant move. This wasn't just a bunch of guys making a game, it was a bunch of fans creating a labor of love. I hope for a similar treatment on Transformers: War for Cybertron. The developers have already said they can't have Optimus Prime without Peter Cullen.

2: Modern Warfare 2

Anyone who listened to my segment on For the Lore knows that I LOVE this game. I applaud Infinity Ward's risk-taking. Story-wise, this is perhaps the most immersive game I've ever played.

1: New IPs

2009 is the best year in recent memory for new IPs in games. Brutal Legend, Borderlands, Dragon Age, Shadow Complex and Torchlight are all properties I look forward to spending more time with in the years to come.

Losses

3: WoW failing in China

Blizzard can survive without the income from the Chinese market. However, there are LOTS of people in China who want to play games. This is income that many smaller (and I'm using that term relatively) companies rely on to help turn a profit. Not being able to reach a deal in China could cause some borderline-successful games to fail down the road.

2: Aion

Despite what many have said, I STILL think Aion is a fun game, and I would still be playing if I weren't dedicating my time to other pursuits currently. That being said, it looks like the game is on its way to a slow death here in America, joining the ranks of Warhammer, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Age of Conan and many others as games that just cannon exist in the current WoW-centric MMO market.

1: Console Inequality

Modern Warfare 2 and Borderlands are horribly undersupported on PC. Dragon Age's console versions are inferior to the PC version. Differences in graphics and controls are to be expected. However, removing features, slow content, lack of support and dumbing down features for a "lesser" audience? That's not good business. Release an equal product or hand the ports off to a company that will. In today's market, game companies cannot afford to alienate large portions of their fans.

As many of you know, I work in retail. As such, time and energy are at a premium. I'll try to post as often as possible, but there may be some weeks... well... like this one.

At the very least, I'll try to make up for the quantity with extra quality.

In addition to scaling back on posting, I'm scaling back on playing.

I've deactivated my Aion account. No, I'm not like many out there ragequitting. When last I played (several weeks ago) I was still enjoying the game greatly. No, it's not perfect, and NCSoft still has work to do, and it may be too little too late. That being said, it's a game I wish I had more time for. Unfortunately, it requires an investment I can't give.

I'd rather spend that time playing games like Dragon Age: Origins right now. So, I'm scaling back from all subscription-based games to focus on single-player games for a while.

Once I finish DA:O, Mass Effect 2 and Final Fantasy XIII, with a chance of Assassin's Creed 2 and others, I'll start looking back at MMOs.

I still really want to give Champions Online a go, and I'm REALLY liking Star Wars: The Old Republic. Oh yeah, there's a little thing called Cataclysm out there, too.

So, I'm not going anywhere, chumps. I'll still be posting, just not playing anything Massive right now.

(Read the previous entry here or refer to the Fiction Index for a full listing.)

Sylphine has paused for an extended period of time. She adjusts the candle, picks a stray thread from the hem of her robe, almost as if unwilling to go on with the story. Finally, taking a deep breath, she continues her tale.

Mother was wrong. I would never see her at all after that night.

Though on the cusp of womanhood, Rina was not ready for the loss of another parent. While not at my studies or performing chores, I tried to spend as much time with her as possible.

One night, while Rina was sharing my bed, it happened. A scream jolted me from dead sleep. Instantly, I knew something was wrong. It was as if a part of me, a small feeling always in the back of my mind had disappeared.

Rina barely stirred. Perhaps my magical training made me more attuned to certain things. I decided to let her rest.

Tomorrow, I would have to tell her than mother was dead.

Though Sylphine's story has been full of tragedy, this is the first time tears appear in her eyes.

But no, that was not enough. No flame was present in my room, it was pure dark. Although I would have thought it impossible, the room grew even darker. A wave of revulsion struck me, one unrelated to the loss of my mother. Something dark, something sinister, something evil had come to our sanctuary.

The next morning, I broke the news to Rina. The poor girl was inconsolable. I tried to bring her breakfast, but she would not eat. I decided to skip my studies that day, so as not to leave her alone.

I should have known that would not be allowed. Fara soon came to my door to summon me as well. "I know nothing of your mother, but it doesn't matter. Your training stops for nothing."

"But, Fara, can't you see my sister needs me right now?"

"Your sister is old enough to take care of herself. If she can't pull herself together, then perhaps she isn't strong enough for this world." Fara could see the anger and defiance in my eyes. "Girl, you are not a full Warlock yet. You WILL report for your training. If you do not, you will be severely punished. More importantly, I will be punished for failing to bring you, and that is something I promise you will regret."

I gave Rina one last hug and stormed past Fara. For the first time in my life, I was beginning to regret coming here. I did not give my full effort that day in training. As punishment, I was forced to stay later than usual. By the time I returned to my room, Rina was gone. She had returned to her own quarters and would not answer her door. I worried for her, but assumed she was sleeping, let her be.

Life changed drastically after that. My teachers were pushing me harder than ever before. My sessions were extending longer and longer, forcing me to work harder and harder. There were days when I had to choose between sleep and food, my free time was so little.

Worse, I was losing Rina, as well. She had taken to sleeping in mother's bed instead of her own. Rarely did she leave her room any more, and when she did she never spoke.

Just when I was reaching my breaking point, I received my first bit of good news in the months since mother disappeared. I was being raised to full Warlock.

You see, among Warlocks, power is secondary. I had plenty of power since my training started at fifteen. Only now, nearing the age of nineteen, had I gained the amount of control necessary to be considered a true Warlock.

The ceremony is unimportant. I'm sure you experienced something similar when you became a Paladin. What I do remember is the Grand Master. Grand Master Warlock Therin sat at the far end of the hall. He never said a word, but his presence overpowered the room. The torches near his seat seemed to shy away from him, as if the light itself were afraid to touch the Grand Master.

Freed from my status as an Adept, I was granted more freedom. Areas of the Sanctuary that had previously been off-limits were now open to me. Most notably, the library. I was encouraged to read the texts contained therein, so as to better understand the options available to me. From this point on, I would be studying on my own. No less would be expected of me, but I was free to choose my own path, unsupervised. I had demonstrated the control necessary to be a Warlock, if I pushed too hard, the fault was my own. Recognizing several titles in the library from Mother's bookshelf, I brought them back to my own room.

Though I could choose the path of my studies, I was still expected to dedicate the same amount of time to them. Rina was becoming increasingly distant.

Learning to summon further familiars, submitting them to my will, as well as memorizing complex incantations was consuming my life. I now know why Warlocks are so emotionally detached. I had not forgotten my sister, but no longer worried about her. She was old enough to choose her own path in life.

My work had not gone unnoticed, apparently. Within a year of being raised, I was summoned to an audience with Grand Master Therin. Fara showed none of her usual smugness when she delivered this message.

I went not to the Meeting Hall, nor Therin's study. Instead, I reported to the Summoning Room in the basement. Not only was the Grand Master present, but the rest of the Inner Circle, as well. The atmosphere in the room was almost oppressive.

Never in my life will I forget what happened next. Grand Master Therin spoke to me directly. His voice was not human. His tone was low, almost a whisper, but with a serpentine quality to it.

"Ssylphine, I have been watching you clossely ssince you arrived here with your mother. You are a very sspecial girl, my dear. You are being given a rare opportunity to help our order., the ssame opportunity we gave your mother."

Horror-struck, I was almost unable to reply. "You-you k-killed my mother!"

"No, young one," he replied. "Casssie gave herself willingly. Unfortunately, she wass found lacking. The ritual did not go ass planned. She wass able to ssusstain the portal long enough for mysself and the resst of the Honor Guard to come through, but burned out before our masster was able to crosss over."

I did not understand what was going on.

"You musst realize by now that we are no longer Therin and hiss circle. Therin wass a valuable minion, but I needed a hosst, and he will sserve."

"Mom would never do such a thing."

"Of coursse not. At leasst, not voluntarily. Casssie was merely a ssubsstitute for our original ssacrifice."

"Sacrifice?"

"Yess, dear. We wanted to usse you to open the portal."

Now, I was truly too terrified to speak.

"Oh, no. Don't worry your pretty little head. We've found ssomeone much more ssuitable for our purposse."

The being that used to be Therin raised his hand, motioning somebody into the room.

"Sylly!" Rina cried out, "What's going on? What's wrong with these people?"

"RINA!" I shouted, "Let her go, you monsters! I'll do anything you want. Take me."

"Sso much like your mother. I'm ssorry, dear, but little Rina here iss pure enough to allow uss ssuccesss. Unlesss..."

"Unless what? Name your price, demon."

"Unlesss you could bring uss one more pure. A Paladin would be ssatissfactory. You have until one week before the moon iss full."

So you see, I was left with no choice. I regret tricking you, and the horror that demon may unleash, but I will do anything to save my sister. She's the only family I have left.

I'm sorry, Paladin, but the full moon is in exactly seven days.

With that, Sylphine extinguishes the candle and walks away.

(Read the previous entry here or refer to the Fiction Index for a full listing.)

I suppose my childhood was a normal one. Dad worked with a trading caravan, running supplies to Lakeshire and other nearby cities. Mom stayed home with Rina and I. We were happy, living in our small house in Old Town.

I'll never forget that Autumn day. It was three weeks before my fifteenth birthday, Rina would have been nine at the time. Dad's boss came to our house. Rina and I watched from upstairs. He didn't stay long, but when he left, Mom fell to the floor crying. Rina ran down, but I was too scared. I knew Mr. Sarker would not be bringing good news.

Dad's caravan was ambushed by Defias on its way to Sentinel Hill. He wouldn't be coming home.

Sylphine pauses for a moment, lost in thought.

It would only get worse. Dad was a driver, not a guard. As such, Mr. Sarker claimed we weren't entitled to monetary compensation. We had no way to feed ourselves, no way to pay our rent.

We managed on our own for a little while. Mom would bake bread to sell, or make some spare money repairing tattered dresses. I even went down to the Trade District and sold flowers to shoppers. It wasn't enough, though. We would soon be living on the streets.

At dinner one night, I asked Mom what her life was like before she met Dad. She wouldn't answer, but quickly cleared her plate and left, asking me to look after Rina. Over the next few days, we rarely saw Mom. She would come home late at night, almost early morning, sleep for a few hours, cook us some food, then disappear.

I was old enough to worry than Mom was doing something... disreputable.

After several weeks, just as our savings were running dry, Mom came home with a smile on her face for the first time in months. She found us a new place to live, and said we wouldn't have to worry about money any more.

The next day, we packed up our remaining belongings, those we hadn't sold to buy food. I was worried we would have to walk a long distance to our new home, but was surprised when we headed straight across the Trade District, instead of heading for the main gates of Stormwind.

We were living in the Mage Quarter?

Before long, we were standing in front of what was to be our new home.

"We're living in a TAVERN?" I asked.

Mom stood there for a moment, then said, "Rina? Why don't you go pick some flowers right over there. I'd like to talk to your sister for a bit. Come sit down, Syl."

Confused, I joined her on a nearby bench.

"Sylphine, it's time you learned where I've been these past nights. When I was about your age, I started learning how to use magic."

"You were training to be a MAGE?"

"No, dear. My training was not in the Arcane. I joined a... family... where I learned to use Fel Magic." I opened my mouth to respond, but Mom went on. "Let me finish, dear.

"I spent several years living with my new family, until I met your father. These recent nights, I have reconnected with my brothers and sisters. They have offered to let us live with them, below this tavern, here."

"So, we're living with Warlocks now?" I asked.

"'Living with' isn't the right phrase. I'll be lending them my power. It has grown dormant over these long years, but I have rekindled it. And you, Syl, you will be training to use it yourself."

"But, I-"

"I'm sorry, dear, but this is not open for negotiation. These are the terms I was given for our living here, and if we don't agree, we have nowhere else to go. I have asked them to leave Rina out of this, at least until she is old enough to decide for herself. Please? I know Warlocks are painted in a negative light, but am I a bad person? We are merely misunderstood. Now, go fetch your sister, it is past time I introduced you to your new family."

And so it was. I was angry that I was not given a choice, but in time I realized that there was no choice. I started my training, working with a different teacher every day. Mother was right, Fel Magic is not inherently bad. Is it dangerous? Yes. If you are not careful to exert your will over the energies, they will consume and corrupt you. Swords are used to kill people every day. Does that make the swords evil? Fel Magic is a tool.

I grew to love my studies. Apparently, I was very attuned to the forces. Within three years, I was ready to summon my first familiar. After days and weeks of failed attempts, I finally managed to conjure an imp from beyond the Void. Ecstatic, I ran to my mother's room to tell her the great news.

Mom tried to smile, but it was forced. Something was bothering her. "Sylphine, my lovely daughter, we may not see each other much after this night. I have been chosen for a very special ritual, and I will be spending a great deal of time with the Inner Circle. I am very proud of you, and all that you have done for me and your sister. Please watch over your Rina, she will need you."

Before I could respond, there was a knock on the door, and Fara, one of the lower-ranking Warlocks entered the room. Not a word was exchanged, but mother rose to leave. She embraced me and whispered in my ear, almost as if she did not want to be overheard, "Keep control. Don't let others use your power."

And then she was gone.

Earlier this month, Blizzard announced their Pet Store.

Twitter exploded, blogs went nuts. Some people hated it, some loved it and raged at those hating it. Calm discussions were few and far between.

It wasn't pretty.

Now that the dust has settled, it's time for me to chime in.

To begin with, I have absolutely no problem with the concept of the store. Instead, my issue is with the pricing.

If you feel that $10 is a good price for a cosmetic addition to your character, then that's great. I'm sure you'll be very pleased with your purchase.

While I am more than able to afford the $10, I don't feel that a purely cosmetic upgrade is worth that price.

$5 for extra missions and gameplay in Mass Effect? Sign me up.
A couple bucks for a Guitar Hero song? No problem.
$10 for extra maps in Halo or Call of Duty? A bit more than I'm willing to pay, but a fair price, given the amount of development needed.

How do these differ from the mini-pets? The all do something, add content to the game. To me, that makes them more worth the price.

So, what would I consider a good price for these pets? Let's look at some other online games that offer similar services:

$10 gets you a large selection of costume pieces, as well as emotes and powers in City of Heroes.
Free Realms offers a huge shop, with costumes, pets and weapons that run anywhere from $1-$5.
Even World of Warcraft, itself has offered transactions already, costing up to $30.

The thing that sets these transactions apart from the WoW mini-pets, is there's a balance between offsetting production costs and still offering a fair, but profitable price. Those WoW transfers cannot be a simple thing to get right. That's a lot of tech to manage.

Seriously, how much did it cost Blizzard to create each of these pets? 3 guys working 2 weeks? Granted, they're AWESOME pets and do far more than just stand there. Let's assume 10% of WoW's vaunted 10 million players purchase a single pet. That's $10 million. Let's say half of those are Pandarens, which gives half to charity. That's still $7.5 million. For, what, a couple hundred thousand dollars of investment, between development and distribution? Something tells me that profit number is MUCH higher, though.

One argument I'd like to shoot down is the loot cards. "I spent hundreds of dollars getting my Spectral Tiger, $10 for a panda is nothing."

No, you did not spend hundreds of dollars on a mount. If so, UR DOIN IT RONG. You spent hundreds of dollars on trading cards, the mount is a BONUS. I bought crap-tons of those things. Why? Because I liked collecting them. The in-game items were nice (I LOVE my turtle), but not the reason I bought them. $3.99 is the market price for a Booster Pack for a Trading Card Game. The WoW TCG is an amazing value at that price, offering roughly DOUBLE the amount of cards compared to other games.

That, right there, is my main issue with the pet pricing. Blizzard has shown in the past to give amazing value for its products. They released content updates for Diablo II almost a full decade after its release. WoW has received several expansions worth of content, while only charging for two. If they were charging half the price for the pets, I think they could sell more than double the amount. In addition to making more money, Blizzard would be staying true to their business philosophy.

Does the recent Activision merger have something to do with this? I despise Activision enough to believe it's a definite possibility.

So, 3.3 and Icecrown Citadel is currently on the Test Realm. It will likely see live by Christmas.

Cataclysm will definitely be out at some point next year. With Starcraft 2 slotted in the Spring, it's highly unlikely we'll see it in the first half of the year.

I've been told Blizzard says they want Cataclysm out before next year's Blizzcon. They seem to be rather far along in the development, based upon what they showed at this past Blizzcon. That said, with Blizzard, I'll believe it when I see it. Theoretically, they also expect to have Diablo 3 out this year.

However, let's ASSUME Cataclysm will be out by this summer. Let's give it until July, which is eight months away.

Blizzard has said that Icecrown Citadel is the end of the Wrath of the Lich King storyline. Where does that leave the game over the next eight months? Blizzard obviously can't go that long without updating the game. The community would riot.

I'm sure November/December WILL mark the end of Wrath. I doubt we'll see a Sunwell-style extension of the story. It's kind of hard to top taking down freaking Arthas. Who's to say, though, that February/March won't mark the beginning of Cataclysm?

Whether it's 3.4 or even 4.0, I'd say the odds are good that we'll see the start of the Cataclysm story well before we even think of the expansion. There are two things that make this theory strong in my book.

First, the Chamber of the Aspects in Dragonblight. Thus far, only one of the five wings, The Obsidian Sanctum, has been utilized. Since Deathwing is the central character thus far in Cataclysm, it would stand to reason that the other Dragonflights would be part of the build-up. How? I have several theories, perhaps to be explored in a future post, but those portals are down there for a reason.

Second, there's the sheer scope of the Cataclysm itself. The event will change the entire game world of Azeroth and Kalimdor, in addition to the new zones being added in the expansion. Since Blizzard has said they want players both with and without the expansion to experience the Cataclysm. This will require a MASSIVE overhaul of the game files, all through patching. Unless Blizzard wants to release a single GIGANTIC patch, I would hope they'll do it in a series of smaller patches, slowly changing the game world along the way, as the Cataclysm progresses. Each level of change will have accompanying story elements. Perhaps it will evn be possible to level a Dwarf Shaman through the newly-redesigned zones BEFORE the expansion even launches.

This would be a brilliant move on Blizzard's part. Players like myself, who are currently inactive in the game, waiting for Cataclysm, will be more likely to renew their accounts sooner than expected. As we all know, Blizzard likes money.

(Read the previous entry here or refer to the Fiction Index for a full listing.)

Bells.

Again with the bells.

Although, this time, Corrigan could not only hear them, but see them as well, for the bells were tolling within his skull.

After what seemed like hours, the pain subsided to the point where Corrigan dared open his eyes. He opened his eyes to nothing.

Panic instantly struck Corrigan. Light save me, I've been struck blind! Raising his hands to his face, Corrigan realized that he was not blind. Rather, he was enshrouded in total darkness. He was incapable of seeing anything more than a finger's length from his face.

Lost, confused, numb and alone, Corrigan lay on the floor. As feeling slowly crept back to his extremities, he began to wish it had not. Corrigan had no idea how long he was out, but every muscle in his body ached. Attempting to stretch his legs, he found the walls of his cell too close to extend them fully. After some small exploration, Corrigan discovered his cell to be no longer than five feet on any side.

Gathering his strength, Corrigan rose to his feet, but not fully. The cell was too tight in that direction, as well. Slumping back to the floor, Corrigan thought back to the events leading to his capture. Who was that Warlock? Was he even a Warlock? To his knowledge, Warlocks did not possess the power necessary to put down a Paladin in a matter of seconds.

After a seemingly endless time, Corrigan heard something. A light sound, almost a shuffling. As it grew closer, Corrigan realized someone was walking toward him. "Who's there? Why have you imprisoned me? What do you want with me?" Corrigan's pleas were met with silence. "Answer me!" Still, silence. The footsteps paused momentarily, and Corrigan heard his visitor place something on the ground. Slowly, the footsteps began moving away. "No, wait! I am a Paladin of the Silver Hand, you cannot imprison me like this." Alas, his words fell on deaf ears.

After his anger subsided, Corrigan moved towards the bars that made up one wall of his cell. Feeling around, he found a small bowl just outside. The bowl contained a broth of some sort, weak and cold. Corrigan gulped it down greedily, not realizing how hungry he was until the liquid was gone. The meal came nowhere close to satisfying him.

Corrigan began to search his cell, looking for any hope of escape. His search did not take long, as his cell consisted of nothing more than a stone floor and cieling, three stone walls and a barred gate of some sort of metal, iron most likely. The stone was smooth, with no flaws to be found. The iron was rusted, but still far stronger than Corrigan. The search also revealed no mattress, no straw, not even a place to relieve himself. He had been stripped of sword and mail, with only his under-pants covering him. Corrigan could only hope his stay would not be long, as it was definitely going to be unpleasant.

In time, sleep took him.

And so, the next several days, weeks, months passed. Corrigan had lost all sense of time. He could have been down there for hours or years. The time passed uneventfully. His jailer came and went, never making a sound but for his steps. After the first several visits, Corrigan gave up communicating. They kept him fed, but just enough to keep him alive. Water, bread, broth. Once his broth contained a piece of turnip. It must have been an oversight.

Left alone in the dark, Corrigan spent his time with the only activities available to him: sleeping and praying. Sleep came in fits. If he was not awakened by the vermin sharing his cell, it was the dreams. His malnourished mind was giving him bizarre, hallucinatory nightmares. He would wake with a start, but be unable to recall anything.

More distressing than his fatigue, prayer was equally unfulfilling as sleep. Despite his repeated efforts, Corrigan was unable to reach the Light. He was unable to plead to it for help. He was unable to draw strength and resolve from it.

For the first time in his life, Corrigan was truly on his own. He decided to make one last attempt at communicating with his captor. As his next feeding approached, Corrigan weakly called out. His voice had grown raspy from his tiredness and long silence. "Please. Speak with me."

Nothing.

He tried again on what he presumed to be the next day. "If you do not say something, I may die from madness."

Again, nothing.

At the end of his wits, Corrigan found himself actually sobbing when he was next visited. "If you will not speak, at least light a torch. Bring me a light so I may know the world still exists beyond these bars. I can take no more." Rather his words or his emotions got through, Corrigan heard the visitor hesitate, even if only for the briefest second. He could not let this opportunity pass. "Yes! A light. A torch, a candle, an ember, even. Return my sight, and I can carry on." The visitor stood there, silent as ever for a long moment, then turned and left.

Believing he had gotten through to the jailer, Corrigan anxiously awaited his next feeding. Bashing his head against the wall began to seem like a promising option if he was disappointed. In time, the footsteps returned. He was given his meager meal, but the footsteps did not leave. He heard a match strike, and a small candle was lit.

Even the tiny flame was too much for Corrigan's eyes. It took several minutes for them to adjust. A figure was seated outside his cell. Small, slender, perhaps even feminine. As his vision slowly grew sharper, a face came into view. A face with piercing green eyes.

"You! You're the woman from the city. You lied, you led me here. You're responsible for my torture."

"I am not responsible for your torture, Paladin. That has not even begun yet. I also spoke no lies. My sister was being held captive. I merely traded your life for hers."

"Then why help me now?"

"I may be outside these bars, but I am no less a prisoner here than you. I harbor no love for the ones who put you in here, and could no longer ignore your helplessness."

"So, you now have pity for me?"

"No, Paladin. Much like yourself, I am alone here. I have freedom of movement, but no companionship. They could decide at any moment that I have outlived my usefulness."

"Why now? Why not when I first called out?"

"I feared for my life. If I were caught speaking with you, I could find myself in the next cell. However, tonight, they are performing a ritual of some sort, preparing for your treatment on the morrow. I would like to bear my soul to you, Paladin. I have wronged you and would like your forgiveness. My life has not been an easy one."

"Very well, woman. It seems you have a captive audience. Speak, though you will not be likely to find forgiveness from me."

"My name is Sylphine, and this is my story..."

As a Paladin, I try to fight on the side of good.

However, holding in all that righteous vengeance is difficult.

Look at this beautiful scenery:


However, one Paladin, pushed too far can wreak havoc like no other. I was cheated, insulted, poked and prodded. I could not be stopped.


I cannot be held responsible for my actions. I blame Syrana.

(Read the previous entry here or refer to the Fiction Index for a full listing.)

Bells. Again, Corrigan wakes to the sounds of bells tolling. This is not the single, small bell from Northshire Abbey, however. This is the glorious melody of the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind. Every morning for the past week Corrigan has woken to their sound.

Every morning since he became a Paladin.

Halfway through his morning prayers, Corrigan was interrupted by a knock at the door. "You may enter." A young squire, no older than fourteen years stepped in.

"S-Sir Corrigan. Sir Duthorian Rall wishes to see you."

"Thank you, boy. Please inform Sir Rall that I will be with him at the completion of my morning devotional."

"Does Sir feel it is wise to make an officer wait?"

"I am sure a Paladin as tenured as Sir Rall will understand my wish to speak to the Light and ask it for strength. Now, deliver the message, if you please." The squire nodded and set to his task.

After completing his prayers, Corrigon donned the plate of his order and quickly made his way to the main hall of the Cathedral, where Duthorian was awaiting him. Duthorian was a veteran of many campaigns, and had earned his station in Stormwind. However, one look at the man made it clear that he was ready to defend the city, its people and his Faith at a moment's notice.

"Sir Rall, you wished to see me? I hope you do not mind me finishing my morning prayer before coming down."

"Not at all, Corrigan. Far too many forget the importance of dedication to the Light these days. I am happy to see a young Paladin such as yourself knows what is truly important in life. However, it is also unwise to make a superior wait. While I understand, Hiighlord Bolvar may not."

"Highlord Bolvar... Fordragon, Sir?"

"None other. You are to take this intelligence report from the Northern Continent to him. Our enemies appear to be stirring. I cannot trust this to a simple squire, as high station always attracts dark powers with prying eyes."

"Yes, Sir!" Corrigan took the report and made his way to the Keep with all possible haste. Sir Duthorian's words troubled him, but now was not the time to ask questions. He did not want to make the Highlord wait any longer than necessary.

Of course, Bolvar Fordragon was a busy man. After waiting for his chance at an audience, Corrigan was sent off with nothing more than a "Thank you, Paladin. That will be all."

On his way out of the Keep, Corrigan paused to view an altercation. Two guards were restraining a woman, yelling, screaming, kicking and fighting, while their captain tried to reason with her.

"You MUST let me see the Highlord! I need his help."

"Highlord Fordragon is far to busy to give private audience with a commoner. If you require assistance, please see the city watch."

"Don't you think I've BEEN to the city watch, you dolt? They're not willing to help me, NOBODY is! She's running out of time!"

Corrigan's curiosity and sense of duty got the better of him and he stepped forward. "Captain, may I be of assistance?"

"Be my guest, Paladin. I've heard enough of her shrill voice for one day. Men, escort the lady outside the Keep. Sir, she is all yours."

After stepping back into the city, Corrigan turned to the sobbing woman, "What is the problem, ma'am?"

"Finally, SOMEONE in this city who cares about common people. You must help me, Sir, they've taken her!"

"Calm down. Who has been taken, and by whom?"

The woman looked up into Corrigan's eyes. Looked up with eyes of the most radiant green Corrigan had ever seen, a green so shocking that it did not seem possible for a mortal to possess them. "Sir, kind Paladin. It is my sister. She has been abducted by Warlocks. They have taken her to the Slaughtered Lamb tavern. I fear she may come to great harm at any moment. There is no time to waste, you must help her!"

Again, Corrigan's head was filled with questions. Again, time was a factor, and he was prevented from asking any of them. He just had to trust this woman, who would concoct such a story if it were not true? "Wait for me at the Cathedral. I will return with your sister, worry not."

Corrigan ran across town, to the Mage Quarter. He knew the Slaughtered Lamb, if only by reputation. It was said that dark mages practiced their crafts within its walls. They were allowed to remain untouched, as there was no proof of any wrongdoing. However, if they truly had abducted a girl, the time for action was at hand.

Corrigan stepped into the tavern and looked around. The common room was empty, but he could see a passageway descending before him. Step by cautious step, Corrigan made his way down, listening, feeling for anything out of the ordinary. Twenty paces down, Corrigan started feeling queasy, surely something sinister was at work below. Further on, Corrigan heard a noise behind him, almost the hiss of a snake. Turning his head, Corrigan looked back to find nothing.

Upon turning back around, Corrigan found a large, hooded figure standing mere inches from his face. The hood was drawn so far forward and the passage so poorly lit, that nothing but a dark void was visible within. Before Corrigan could draw his sword, or even cry out, the figure whispered a single word.

"Sleep."

Instantly, Corrigan's vision blurred. Within seconds he was falling to the floor. He blacked out before he made contact.

I fail at many things.

I fail at not being completely awesome.

I fail at not being the best-looking person whenever I walk into a room.

Apparently, I also fail at quitting World of Warcraft.

A couple weeks ago, I announced that I had canceled my subscription, after several months of apathy.

Well, my account finally expires tomorrow. One small issue: I resubscribed yesterday.

What brought this about? Freaking Syrana. Her and several other bloggers had decided to form a Guild. Now, I will admit, Cataclysm has resparked a little interest in WoW for me. I always knew I'd get back into it at some point, I just wasn't expecting it to be this soon.

So, why so soon exactly? The idea of a fresh start. A new home for a new character on a new server with new friends. Despite my love for alts, I've never leveled one past 10 outside of Azjol-Nerub. So, the thought of a group of us starting fresh, without a stack of Gold in our pockets, without Heirlooms, without bloody Recruit-A-Friend was very enticing.

Now, this brings me to the concept of Brigwynism. You see, every time an expansion comes out, Brigwyn deletes his character and starts over again. Now, this may seem to be rather stupid, but I'm starting to see the appeal to it. For the last 2 expansions, and Cataclysm to follow, Blizzard overhauls large amounts of the game. New Talents, new stat usage, new Professions. For most of us, it's just click, click, click, let's-a go! However, by starting anew, Brigwyn gets to see these changes from the ground up. He gets to experience each one of them as it comes along.

How does Brigwynism affect me? Well, I've leveled about everything I want to: Warlock, Paladin, Hunter and Shaman. The other classes each have small hangups that prevent me from really getting into them. Well, starting fresh on a new server is my way to experience my classes anew. I almost wish I had done this on some of my characters previously. My Shaman was a wreck when 3.0 changed Strength to only grant 1 Attack Power instead of 2. What about my Warlock? In 4.0, he'll need Intellect. I NEVER gear for Intellect on my 'Lock. How much regearing will he need? Now, I can just roll a Worgen Warlock (say that 3 times fast) on Gilneas and really get an appreciation for how the class has changed in 4+ years.

So, to Syrana, Sideshow, Spooner and the rest of The Order, thank you. Thank you for making me realize why I fell in love with this game in the first place. This past weekend was the first time I've honestly, TRULY had fun in WoW in at least a year, probably more.

Alright, so Blizzcon was this past weekend. I've slogged through all the videos, articles, blogs and tweets. So, here's my thoughts on the show.

Big thanks to WoW.com, MMO Champion, Twisted Nether and all the Twitter bloggers out there for the info!

Starcraft II

Not much shown here. There's been a deluge of media over the past few weeks. However, I must say that the level builder is impressive. I'll probably never use it, but the sheer quantity customization options is amazing.

Diablo III

I'm SO playing a Monk.

'Nuff said.

Cataclysm

Yup, looks like MMO Champion was pretty much on the money.

I must admit, it seems like Blizzard is addressing many of the issues I have with the current game, foremost the complete destruction of the leveling experience. It's almost as if the read my letter.

The lore behind the expansion looks like fun. Deathwing is more badass than many give him credit for. Forget the Horde, forget the Scourge, forget the Old Gods. Hell, forget the Burning Legion. Deathwing could be the biggest threat Azeroth has ever seen.

Races: I'm still a bit iffy on the Goblins. However, the more I look into it, the more I like the Worgen.

Classes: For the most part, I fully support the class additions. The only ones I have problems with are Night Elf Mage and Dwarf Shaman. Perhaps a little more lore investigation will help.

Azeroth: At first I thought remodeling Azeroth was pretty stupid. Now that I know it's a total do-over for level 1-85 content, I'm a little more interested.

Flying: I actually hate flying, but that's a post of its own.

Archaeology: I love this. It's implementation, as well as the Path of the Titans seems like a very nifty addition. Also, I'm glad they decided not to introduce another full profession. Things are a bit crowded as it is. I could have lived without Inscription.

Mastery: This could very well be my favorite change. Talents will become interesting again!

Stat Simplification: Yes, please. Stats are getting out of hand. I don't want 6,000 Spellpower. Reforging seems cool, but I wonder about it's limitations. If they let players do too much, it could be annoying.

Guild Leveling: Sure, why not? Not really a huge deal for me.

Classes: Hunters get Focus back, yay. (I believe that was an old Alpha/Beta mechanic) I'm a bit disappointed that the "big" change to Soul Shards is a reworking of the Death Knight Rune system.

I'm sure I missed a point or two, but that's the bulk of it.

I have to say. A few months back, I was very disillusioned with WoW. However, it's nice to see the game moving back in (what I feel is) the right direction.

Okay, Bliz, I'll give it to you.

Okay, I'm sure you know that MMO Champion blew the lid off the next WoW expansion.

Of course, the internet has been exploding. Many question the reliability of the information. While I'm not willing to accept it for fact, I will say that I cannot remember the last time that MMO Champion has been wrong about something like this.

That being said, I will not be commenting on this until there's official word from Blizzard. You guys should know by now that's how I roll.

Instead, here's a thing!



Calm down, nerds.

If you haven't seen The Guild, you should. It's frakking hilarious.

Today, we take a look at the video that took the internet by storm. Hands down, the most impressive machinima I've ever seen.

The Craft of War: BLIND

I'm going back to my roots on this one. Back on Hardcore Casual, every Monday I would feature a different WoW machinima.

In honor of Machinima Monday, I'd like to post a couple videos by my favorite artist, Cranius.

First up, my favorite WoW song ever, Big Blue Dress:



Also included is Cranius' masterpiece, Darrowshire:

Lots of little news to cover today.

First of all, last week was Aion's fifth Closed Beta Event. I played.. a little. I'm struck with the Beta Blues. There's very little motivation to play a character that will be deleted in 2 weeks. Without some seriously hardcore playtime, I won't be able to make it to the next tier of content, but that's okay. I have enough for several more preview articles.

I'll likely skip the Open Beta, to make me hungrier for the retail release.

Today is the big WoW Patch 3.2. Whoop-dee-doo.


Calm down, folks. I've still got a month of time on my account, so I'll at least poke my head into the new patch. I'm just not getting $15 worth of entertainment, at the moment. So, perhaps some time off will be good for me, and my wallet.

So, no WoW, no Aion, what's a guy to do? Well, I'll be spending some quality time with my consoles.

Oh yeah, then there's this guy:


Say hello to Garda, my Tanker.

Yes, after years of poking and prodding, I finally bit the bullet and bought City of Heroes. Expect some coverage in the future.

(Read here for a little backstory on our hero.)

The bell tolled. The rooster marked the rising of the sun.

Morning. This is the eleventh day. Corrigan rose from the table. He collected the massive tomes in front of him and carefully placed them on the librarian's desk. I should wait for Maris to wake and thank him for his time. However, I am anxious to be off.

Today I take my vows.

Corrigan stepped from Northshire Abbey for the first time in over a week, and was greeted to an unexpected, if welcome sight.

"Ten days and nights of meditation, contemplation and education into the ways of the Order of the Silver Hand. And ye still look as stupid as the last time I saw ye."

"Father! I was not expecting an escort back to the Cathedral."

"Lad, if ye call me 'Father' one more time, ye'll be the first Paladin to take his vows with a staff up his backside. After today, I'm yer teacher no longer."

"Yes Fa.... Rondrey."

"That's better. As to my being here, I have some final questions for ye before the council tests you."

"A final lesson? I welcome your test."

"Good, then let's be on our way. Stormwind is not far, but the walk should be long enough. First question: What is the Silver Hand's greatest foe?"

"Easy. The Scourge."

"Lad, how did ye ever make it past yer first year of studies? True, the Scourge is our biggest currently active threat. However, their former masters, the Burning Legion always has been and always will be the greatest threat, not just to our order, but all of Azeroth. They sent the Orcs. They sent the Scourge. To this day, they still try to infiltrate our organizations. Until they are defeated, no life on this world, or any other will be truly safe."

"How can the Legion infiltrate an order like the Silver Hand? I thought they could only possess those who are willing."

"That's partially true, lad. Even the most powerful demon will have difficulty taking an unwilling host. It would require a complete overwhelming of the host's spirit by force. After such trauma, all that would remain is a soulless husk. None of the demon's power would be available to it. It would not be worth the demon's time and energy to gain a worthless sack of flesh."

"Then the Order is safe. No Paladin would give themselves willingly to the Legion."

"Don't be so sure, lad. Every man has his weakness, his breaking point. The Legion is nothing if not patient. Ten thousand years they've been trying to take our planet, what's a few more to them? They're waiting. Waiting for the right person at the right time."

"What difference does it make?"

"Simple, lad. The more devout the host, the more holy, the more full of Light, the stronger the corrupted spirit, the stronger the demon would be. They want someone so pure of heart for their own, they will search for another ten thousand years, if that's what it takes."

"Someone like you, Rondrey?"

"Nah. Not me. True enough, I've served the Light faithfully in my years. I am, however, not without my faults. I have not even served as a Priest my whole life. I do love my ale, as well."

"Bah! I do not know how you can cloud your mind with drinks like that. You'll never catch me looking for knowledge at the bottom of a mug. But, fine, if not you, then who would be a better host?"

"Someone born of honorable people. Someone who has dedicated their life to the Light. Someone so completely devout, that to corrupt their soul would be an accomplishment like none before."

Rondrey stepped in the middle of the road, staring Corrigan in the eyes to drive home his point.

"Someone, lad... like you."

This is a story.

A story about a story.

A story about a story which is part of a larger story.

Several months ago, back on Hardcore Casual, I started a project, Create Your Own Azeroth. I worked with several other blog authors to create a branching, choose-your-own-adventure-style story based around the World of Warcraft world.

For those of you who have not read the story, it begins here.

The project went well and was a great success. Unfortunately, due to several authors going dark, I suspended the project.

However, there is more story to tell.

Starting in the near future, I will be continuing the adventures of our hero, Corrigan, as well as others.

In order to preserve cohesion of the story, I have chosen one path of CYOA as canon:

Prelude, by myself
The Libram, by Syrana
Untitled, by Skipper
Stand your Ground, by myself

Now, this does not mean the other chapters are not worth reading. They definitely are. Honestly, I don't feel this was the BEST path through the tale, story-wise. However, this was the best to continue with the story. Corrigan's survival rate was... below average.

Again, I highly recommend reading through ALL the paths from the beginning.

A word of warning: In keeping with my more casual method of blogging here on Massive Nerd, as opposed to Hardcore Casual, these posts will not be on any set schedule. When I have one ready, I'll post it.

Of course, I can't just leave everyone hanging. I have to tease a bit:

The first story will reveal the secret of Sylphine's identity.