The next year I had my druid who at the end of the festival was 49 (I think!)  I just remember that I went into all the cities and got the flames because I was desperate for the crown of the fire festival (can you tell I like vanity clothing?!?!) and I couldn’t turn it in because I was just a couple bubbles shy of being a high enough level… and damn was I pushing those levels!  Those flames sat in my bank for an entire year.

You know I’m pretty sure the quest useto be to honor the flames in the opposing faction’s cities… something about “we all honor the flame blah blah blah we’re alike” and now we desecrate them.  We got all evil.  As much as I like the gold from all the fires (and XP on my lowbie) I sometimes miss the old days.   Oh well at least it breaks up the raiding!

And hey, as far as raiding goes, we get to eat our spell power smorcs now.  Free buffs are um… mmmm smorcs  I should go get some marshmallows and chocolate at the store, but I’m thinking that would  be a bit messy at the keyboard.

Anyway, happy mid-summer everyone

Twas Greatfather Winter
we all wanted to see
What would he leave us
under the Christmas Tree?

A gnome whispered to me:
“it’s a gun you will find“ 
but whatever he brings, 
I really don’t mind

More bag room would be nice
to hold all these clothes
Or maybe a glyph
for a red rudolph nose?

He could spice up my treeform
with a shiny gold star
Or teach an engineer
make me a car

Unlock some new content
that sure would be nice
Something to do
on these cold winter nights

What’s that you say?
Do the random instead?
I want my T10 but…
Oculus... again?!?!

To everyone out there
Alliance and Horde 
If you love ICC 
or if it makes you bored

Have a Happy Christmas
and a Great Winter Vale
And good luck getting PUGs
that aren’t full of fail

Happy Thanksgiving WoW players!  I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday.  And to our boomkin friends, I hope not too many of you are mistaken for turkeys and slain as part of the feast!  I’m off to have a huge dinner at my parents in an hour, hopefully just enough time to get turkinator before I get dressed!

Next, talk to the vendor next to her. You can buy a recipe for Bread of the Dead, do that and make one (using the fire behind the vendor). Also buy either the bouquet of marigolds, or a single one. Use the flower to see the friendly spirits, one is a quest giver. He asks for a piece of the bread you just baked. Completing the quest gives you the pet…. BUT this is the lame part… the pet isn’t a real pet. It takes up a bag slot (not learnable) and is only summonable during day of the dead.

So yes, more free epics, and I guess that’s OK.  I have always liked the holiday stuff.  It is rather time consuming though.  I had all the achievements on my main last year, but I’ve been doing them on my cow this year.  Hitting all the candy buckets probably got me a full level (66 – 67) worth of XP, so it was no waste of time.  It also made me pickup those flight paths I had neglected, probably not a bad thing to do anyway.

A couple of things… first… if you’re the guy who thinks its cute or fun to camp the quest giving matron and kill her every time she spawns for three days in a row… get a life.  Honestly.  She’s level 12, it’s not impressive that you can kill her before we target and kill you.  Ok, I can see how once or twice might give you a chuckle, but three days straight… that’s just being a douche.

Second… this is a long shot I know… But if anyone has an 80 horde (or has a friend who does?) on Dawnbringer, I’ve been spamming like a crazy person trying to get into SM for this achievement, but you know… no summons = no love  I swear my 67 cow can heal it, I just need one kill for the achievement, if you can help me out, post a comment here or contact me in game (character: Angela).  Thanks much!

Brewfest I kinda like.  It does seem to fit the dwarves well  I had done pretty much everything for this last year (including getting both mounts) but most of it needed to be re-done for the achievements.  And also, there seems to be a new pet, a little pink elephant… so naturally I’ll need that.  Now, after I post this I’m going to head over to that lowbie cow i’ve talked about and give brewfest a whirl on her…. first time doing it horde side, should prove to be fun!

Now…. Path of Cenarius, is one of the new loot cards.  Seemed kinda druidy to me so I picked one up.  It was a bit annoying to redeem since as I mentioned earlier, I’m a bloodsail.  Ok, I lie, I picked 10 up because I wanted to give a few away on this website!!  So, if you have any good ideas for a contest where I could give away these loot cards, please let me know.  Brainstorm time!!

So…. here is me, in my brewfest gear, rocking my path of cenarius:

We did get nearly two full levels out of touching fires, and a small stack of blossoms.  Since the event does run for two long weeks, maybe we’ll be able to get a couple more levels and push though to a few more fires before it all ends :)

Fire Festival Flame Dance

Ah, the fire festival.  I remember this event back in the day… back when the horde and alliance celebrated together, and didn’t put out each other’s fires.  Back when the spirit of summer pet was a quest, and not bought with flowers, and when all my alts had burning shoulders because I only had to run them each to four fires (mind you that often meant 20 deaths each!)  

Well… having touched all the fires last year and bought my entire set & pet I didn’t have a lot to do this year.  I touched a few more fires (once they fixed it!) so I could buy a brazier of dancing flames, and some buff food.  I also did a little Ahune farming for the fire elemental pet.  They really upped the drop rate on him… in just 2 days of farming him (all of us summoning, and all of our 70+ alts summoning) all five people in my group had the pet.  
What I would suggest… is that even if you don’t care about pets or achievements, you should touch a few fires for the buff food you can buy.   This buff food stacks with your normal buff food.  If your guild is at all interested in progression, 25 people getting this extra edge might be the difference between getting down that next boss or next hard mode and not.  It all adds up!