From Camp Narache to the Bear's Claw
A single long day carried Nanaki from the hearths of Camp Narache through the Rites of the Earthmother, three deaths, and Moonglade, until the Bear Form was finally his.
The Road
The day began at Camp Narache, where the air was loud with fresh-come tauren shouting and lowing in every direction, as though the whole tribe had been born again at once. From there I climbed to Red Cloud Mesa, then followed the long road east: Brambleblade Ravine, Kodo Rock, Stonebull Lake, and at last Bloodhoof Village. I set my hearthstone at the inn there, and Bloodhoof became my home for the day's comings and goings.
I wandered on to Palemane Rock, the Winterhoof Water Well, the Rolling Plains, the Ravaged Caravan and the Bael'dun Digsite. Later I came up to Thunder Bluff, then Spirit Rise, the Wildmane Water Well, the Golden Plains and Red Rocks, where the ancestors rest. A druid's spell took me to Moonglade, to Nighthaven, the Shrine of Remulos and the shores of Lake Elune'ara. Last of all I walked the southern Barrens to Camp Taurajo, met the flight master there, and flew back to Thunder Bluff on his mount. The wind was a fine reward after so much walking.
Battles
Mulgore gave me no rest. By the day's end I had put down more than two hundred foes: eighteen Bristleback quilboars and a dozen of their interlopers, seventeen battleboars, fifteen prairie wolves, thirteen mountain cougars, nine plainstriders, and the Palemane gnolls, with poachers, skinners and tanners falling by the dozen. Fifteen Venture Co. workers fell too, and many of the diggers and appraisers at Bael'dun. At Red Rocks I slew Enforcer Emilgund, a rare brute of a man, and it was a clean fight.
I fell three times. The first was in the Rolling Plains, to something I never saw. Then twice in Nighthaven, again to something unseen. Between those two deaths in Moonglade, I won an honorable victory over an adventurer of the enemy faction. I woke each time as a spirit and made my way back to myself.
Deeds
Chief Hawkwind sent me first to look for his mother at the well. Greatmother Hawkwind waved off my worry and gave me a pitcher to carry home, and the Chief was proud that I had gone out of my way to help "an old woman." The Chief then set me on the Rites of the Earthmother. Seer Graytongue asked for the Rite of Strength: Bristleback belts from Brambleblade Ravine. I carried burning incense to the shrine of An'she and Mu'sha before it could turn to ash. Brave Windfeather asked for the head of Chief Sharptusk Thornmantle, and I brought it. Grull Hawkwind had me bring plainstrider feathers and meat, cougar pelts, and boar snouts and flanks.
At Bloodhoof, Baine Bloodhoof read the totem of Hawkwind and gave me more work: gnoll hunting, the dwarves' picks (smashed into broken tools), and later the centaur raiders. Kaga Wildhoof taught me the lessons of camping, and each trade's teacher gave me a camp fixture. I found Longwalker Malah dead, and her report went from Brave Wildrunner to Baine, who was darkened by it. I fetched strider meat for Ahab Wheathoof's runaway puppy Kyle, killed Chakuyak the wolf for Yaw Sharpmane, and brought swoop quills, talons, a wolf heart, a cougar femur and more besides. I cleansed the Winterhoof Water Well for Mull Thunderhorn and examined the crates at the Ravaged Caravan for Morin Cloudstalker, who also had me strike at the Venture Co. miners. Antur Fallow's furs went to Innkeeper Kauth, and I drove the Bristleback interlopers from Red Rocks for Lorekeeper Raintotem.
The Rite of Vision was a strange hour before the tribal fire. The Rite of Wisdom took me to the Ancestral Spirit, who bade me enter Thunder Bluff with pride. Cairne Bloodhoof greeted me at his door, and set me to hunt the horn of the kodo Arra'chea. Turak Runetotem sent me to Moonglade, where Dendrite Starblaze sent me to the Great Bear Spirit. Back in Thunder Bluff, Turak sent me to face Lunaclaw at the Moonkin Stone, and he named me ready afterward.
Fellowship
I joined the guild Blacktide as an Initiate, and a guildmate greeted me warmly soon after. Several times in the day travelers joined my party for a stretch and then parted. In Bloodhoof, I advised others on a trick I had learned: "Just set up a campfire inside the tent where the druid/shaman trainers are." Early on, when the crowd outside Narache was lowing, I lowed back: "Mooooooooooo." Later, in Thunder Bluff, I told a few jokes to passersby and waved at a warrior who saluted me with respect.
Spoils & Craft
The finds were few but welcome: a schematic for EZ-Thro Dynamite, a pair of Tribal Pants, and two lumps of malachite. Krang Stonehoof gave me bandages for my sparring in his arena. My hands were busy all day, with linen bandages and a first aid kit, charred wolf meat, brilliant smallfish and herb baked eggs, light leather, and a dozen light armor kits. I made a camp chair, campfire kits, a fish bowl and a camp tent.
Growth
Strength came steadily. Skinning grew from nothing to Journeyman, and cooking, first aid, fishing and leatherworking all began and rose. I learned Mark of the Wild, Moonfire, Rejuvenation, Thorns, Wrath, Entangling Roots and Healing Touch, and later better ranks of Mark of the Wild, Moonfire and Healing Touch, plus Nature's Grasp. Near midnight, I learned Teleport: Moonglade. The day's last gift came from Turak: Bear Form, Growl, and Maul. I felt the growth at several points through the day, and the last of those, in the evening, was the greatest.