For the Alliance! Again!
14th April 2009 – 10.32 amA little while back I got in to an Alliance raid to assassinate the four leaders of the Horde. Whilst Thrall and Sylvanas Windrunner fell to our onslaught a second raid had already visited Cairne Bloodhoof in Thunder Bluff and Lor'themar Theron in Silvermoon City, cutting the adventure short. I had hoped that I would be able to finish the attack another day and it looks to be today.
I turn up to enter the battle for Wintergasp and find that the same fellow is setting up another morning raid on the Horde cities, taking advantage of the early hour and the Horde's involvement in Wintergrasp to enter the capitals with as little fuss as possible. I am happy to relinquish control of Wintergrasp Fortress for the chance of a victorious raid and get invited in to the group.
Our first target is again Thrall, members of the raid getting invited and summoned to a hill in the Barrens, close enough to ride to Orgrimmar but sufficiently out of sight not to be spotted and provoke a defensive reaction. Once we have good numbers we make our move, planning to strike fast and hard and move to new targets quickly.
It must be quite a sight to see over thirty aggressive enemy players ride in the side entrance to your capital city, because it is certainly exhilarating to me. Thrall's guards are despatched before the leader of the Horde is attacked, with a careful eye being kept on the entrance to his keep to ensure any heroes coming to his aid are kept at bay. Thrall falls to our might eventually, after a huge battle, to cheers all around.
A portal is opened up to Shattrath City, where we take advantage of the city's portal to Quel'Thanas before flying down to Zul'Aman. A ride north through the Dead Scar of Ghostlands and we organise ourselves just west of Silvermoon City, where Theron unknowingly awaits. Another rush through the heart of the city and we face the Blood Elf leader, his elite guards not keeping us at bay. The second Horde boss is defeated.
Using a portal to get to Theramore Isle we ride out to Mulgore for Thunder Bluff. Even though some members get distracted by the lure of Darkmoon Faire we have enough numbers to defeat Bloodhoof, keeping him in his hut so that the vicious swings of his huge club don't knock everyone off the bluffs.
One last stop to make on our whistle-stop tour of Horde cities, using a portal to Ironforge and flying up to the Western Plaguelands for Undercity. Entering through the sewers to the east of the city, avoiding most guards in the process, we charge through to the throne room. The battlemasters are drawn out first before Windrunner is engaged, but some over-enthusiastic bating by Undead characters pulling raid members out of the room allows Windrunner to heal fully. A bit more discipline enables us to focus on Windrunner and we prevail before long.
All four Horde bosses are defeated! Not only is this a fair achievement by itself but the King of Stormwind, Varian Wrynn, personally sends each of us a congratulatory message, along with a gift. For our heroic efforts we are rewarded with a special mount, a black war bear!
If the raid on the Horde isn't enough I find that I am close to hitting 80th level. I am sure I will finally reach 80th level by the end of the day, but I have a stronger goal to level up before the next battle of Wintergrasp, in forty minutes time. Being 80th level will let me make use of all my abilities at their greatest strength as well as wear the armour and wield weapons only available to 80th level characters.
I head to Icecrown and agree to a dozen quests or so, maximising my opportunity and blasting my way through the enemy with icy efficiency. A couple of trips to the Shadow Vault, where I witness some excellent use of phasing, and a few daily quests push me to the level cap as I finally get my death knight to 80th level! I do a little dance before opening a death gate to get back to Ebon Hold and upgrade my abilities to their most powerful level. I then equip the gear I've bought with honour points awarded from my many visits to Wintergrasp before heading back to Dalaran, just in time to join the latest battle for control of the region, riding out on my bear.
It has been quite a day.
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