From Camp Narache to the Claw
A long day carried Nanaki from Camp Narache through the Rites of the Earthmother to Thunder Bluff, Moonglade, and the shape of the bear.
The Road
I began the day in Camp Narache, stopping to take in the view before anything else. From there the road wound over Red Cloud Mesa and into Brambleblade Ravine, past Kodo Rock and Stonebull Lake, and at last into Bloodhoof Village. I made the inn there my home, and the village became the hub of everything that followed.
Other corners of Mulgore opened to me as the hours went on: Palemane Rock, the Winterhoof Water Well, the burned Ravaged Caravan, the Bael'dun Digsite, and the Wildmane Water Well. I wandered out into the Rolling Plains for a time, and later through the Golden Plains to Red Rocks, the sacred burial ground.
Thunder Bluff came into view in the evening, and I found Spirit Rise and the Elder Rise above it. Turak Runetotem taught me a spell that carried me to Moonglade, where I walked Nighthaven, the Shrine of Remulos and the shores of Lake Elune'ara. Near midnight I reached the Southern Barrens and Camp Taurajo. I met the flight master there and flew back to Thunder Bluff.
Battles
In all, 217 foes fell to me. The tallies ran to eighteen Bristleback Quilboar, seventeen Battleboars, fifteen prairie wolves and fifteen Venture Co. workers. I also felled fourteen Bael'dun Diggers, thirteen Palemane Poachers, thirteen mountain cougars and twelve Bristleback Interlopers. Dozens more gnolls, diggers and plainstriders fell besides.
Of the named foes, Chakuyak, the fierce wolf of the trees west of Stonebull Lake, was one. I also slew Enforcer Emilgund, a rare humanoid, on the heights near Thunder Bluff, with a fellow druid in the party at the time.
I fell into darkness three times. Something unseen struck me down in the Rolling Plains. In Moonglade, I died in Nighthaven on the very hour I discovered it. After a spirit's walk I went back, and later won an honorable victory over an adventurer of the enemy faction there. Then something unseen took me again. Each time I woke as a spirit, found the healer, and returned.
Deeds
It started small. Chief Hawkwind asked me to look in on his mother at the well, and the Greatmother asked whether I had "traveled all this way just to help an old woman," then sent me back with a water pitcher. That earned me my place in the Rites of the Earthmother.
Grull Hawkwind asked for plainstrider feathers and meat, then cougar pelts, then Battleboar snouts and flanks, and I brought all of it. The Bristleback belts I carried to the Chief completed the Rite of Strength. Brave Windfeather wanted the head of Chief Sharptusk Thornmantle, and declared that justice had been served. Seer Graytongue had me carry smoldering incense to the shrine of An'she and Mu'sha before it burned away, and I emptied it into the Ritual Fire.
In Bloodhoof, Baine Bloodhoof set me against the Palemane gnolls. When I returned he said:
"Respect of the land and its creatures is important. Death and life are a circle... a necessity."
He also had me smash the dwarves' prospecting picks into broken tools. Ruul Eagletalon, Harken Windtotem, Mull Thunderhorn and Maur Raincaller sent me after Windfury talons, swoop quills, wolf paws, and the parts for Mazzranache's cure. Mull's totem cleansed the Winterhoof Water Well. Yaw Sharpmane wanted Chakuyak's pelt. Ahab Wheathoof's runaway puppy Kyle came home once he had eaten the tender strider meat.
I found Longwalker Malah's body and carried her report to Brave Wildrunner and then Baine. Morin Cloudstalker had me search the supply crates of the Ravaged Caravan and then send the Venture Co. a message. Baine set me against the Galak centaurs, and Morin sent me for Supervisor Fizsprocket's clipboard, but I did not finish either.
Kaga Wildhoof taught me the basics of camping, and I spoke to each trainer she named. Krang Stonehoof's Sparring Match took me into the arena. Zarlman Two-Moons brewed the Water of the Seers, and Seer Wiserunner passed me through the Rite of Vision. At Red Rocks the Ancestral Spirit passed me through the Rite of Wisdom, and Lorekeeper Raintotem had me drive the Bristleback Interlopers off the graves. Cairne Bloodhoof then asked for the Horn of Arra'chea, and I have not yet found it.
Turak sent me to Moonglade. Dendrite Starblaze sent me to the Great Bear Spirit. Back in Thunder Bluff, Turak sent me to the Barrens to face Lunaclaw's strength. He sensed it in me when I returned.
Fellowship
At Camp Narache the arrival of newly minted tauren was a roar of cheers and lowing, and I answered the herd with a long "Mooooooooooo." I did it twice more at Bloodhoof. In Thunder Bluff I told a few jokes and waved at a tauren warrior, who saluted me back with respect.
I joined the guild Blacktide, as an Initiate, while I was in Bloodhoof. Later a fellow Blacktide shaman greeted the guild aloud.
A hunter and another traveler joined me for a moment on the mesa, and left almost at once. Later a warrior or two came and went. A hunter and two druids marched with me for a short while near the digsite. A druid joined me before Enforcer Emilgund fell, and left right after. A shaman and a druid joined me at Red Rocks.
A warrior in Bloodhoof, seeing a stranger lost looking for the puppy, told them to use the meat and the dog would run up on it. At the camp, I shouted to a passing traveler that they should set up a campfire inside the tent where the druid and shaman trainers are.
Spoils & Craft
Skinning ran the longest. It climbed over the afternoon, and I later learned the journeyman craft of it, and it stood near eighty by the end. First Aid reached twenty-five, with Linen Bandages and a First Aid Kit. Cooking reached twenty, with Charred Wolf Meat, Brilliant Smallfish and Herb Baked Egg, and Fishing and Leatherworking each reached twenty. I crafted Light Leather and eleven Light Armor Kits, a Camp Chair, two Basic Campfire Kits, a Fish Bowl and a Camp Tent.
The finds were few. I found the schematic for EZ-Thro Dynamite and a pair of Tribal Pants, and twice came across Malachite. Krang gave me bandages for my wounds, and Windfeather gave me a reward for my trouble.
Growth
I felt new strength settle into me many times today. My weapon skill grew on the staff and later the mace, and I learned the Two-Handed Maces. My Defense came along as well.
Gart Mistrunner taught me Mark of the Wild, and later a stronger one. Over the day I also learned Moonfire, Rejuvenation, Thorns, Wrath, Entangling Roots, Healing Touch and Nature's Grasp. Turak taught me the spell Teleport: Moonglade.
When I returned from the Barrens, Turak taught me Bear Form, and with it Growl and Maul. Being a Druid of the Claw feels like a large step into a larger world.