From Camp Narache to the Claw
Nanaki began in a bellowing crowd at Camp Narache and ended in Thunder Bluff, newly taught the bear's shape, with three falls into darkness along the way.
The Road
Camp Narache was loud when I arrived. Tauren were bellowing and mooing all around me, and Red Cloud Mesa lay open beyond them. From there the day became one long road across Mulgore: Brambleblade Ravine, Kodo Rock, Stonebull Lake, and Bloodhoof Village, where I spent most of my hours. I made it my home and set my hearthstone there. Later came Palemane Rock, the Winterhoof Water Well, the burned Ravaged Caravan and the Bael'dun Digsite. I wandered as far as the Rolling Plains and the Golden Plains, reached Red Rocks, and finally climbed to Thunder Bluff, Spirit Rise and Elder Rise. A spell from Turak carried me to Moonglade, to Nighthaven, the Shrine of Remulos and the shore of Lake Elune'ara. Last I walked into the Southern Barrens and found Camp Taurajo, and the flight master's mount carried me back to Thunder Bluff.
Battles
Two hundred and seventeen foes fell to me by day's end. The Bristleback quilboar were the greatest share, eighteen of them besides a dozen Interlopers at Red Rocks. There were seventeen Battleboars, fifteen prairie wolves, fifteen Venture Co. workers, fourteen Bael'dun diggers, thirteen mountain cougars and thirteen Palemane poachers, with skinners, tanners, appraisers and plainstriders besides. Late in the evening I slew Enforcer Emilgund, a rare brute, and in Moonglade I won an honorable victory over an adventurer of the enemy faction.
Darkness took me three times. The first was in the Rolling Plains, by something I never saw. The other two were in Nighthaven, within minutes of each other, again at hands unseen. Each time I woke as a spirit and went on.
Deeds
I began with Grull Hawkwind, who said I had "a promising air" and asked for plainstrider feathers and meat. Chief Hawkwind then set me "a humble task": to find his mother at the well. She sent me back with a water pitcher, and the Chief began the Rites of the Earthmother with me. I passed the Rite of Strength with Bristleback belts, took Brave Windfeather's charge to bring him Chief Sharptusk's head, and left incense at a shrine of An'she and Mu'sha before it burned away. At Bloodhoof, Baine and his people kept me busy. I cleared Palemane gnolls, smashed dwarven picks, hunted swoops, harpies and cougars, and helped Mull Thunderhorn cleanse the Winterhoof well. Ahab Wheathoof's puppy Kyle came home after he ate. Longwalker Malah was found dead with arrows in her back, so I carried her report to Brave Wildrunner and then to Baine, and the goblin mines near the caravan paid for what they had done. I drank the Water of the Seers and followed its vision for the Rite of Vision, then stood before the Ancestral Spirits at Red Rocks for the Rite of Wisdom. Cairne Bloodhoof greeted me in Thunder Bluff, "young druid". Turak Runetotem sent me to Moonglade and the Great Bear Spirit, and then to Lunaclaw on the Moonkin Stone, to earn strength of body and heart.
Fellowship
At Narache the crowd of new arrivals roared and mooed, and I added a long "Mooooooooooo." of my own. Later I joined the guild Blacktide as an Initiate, and in the evening a fellow Blacktide hailed the guild in greeting. I joined a few passing parties that day, but each broke up soon after it formed. Back in Bloodhoof, I shouted some advice to the others: "Just set up a campfire inside the tent where the druid/shaman trainers are." Near day's end I waved to a warrior, who saluted me with respect.
Spoils & Craft
Skinning, which I learned at Camp Narache, rose to eighty. Cooking, First Aid, Fishing and Leatherworking each took root in Bloodhoof, and I brought them near twenty. I cooked wolf meat, baked eggs and smallfish, rolled linen bandages and cured light leather, and made a Camp Chair, two Basic Campfire Kits, a Camp Tent, a First Aid Kit and a Fish Bowl. In the wilds I found the schematic for EZ-Thro Dynamite and a pair of Tribal Pants, and I picked up two pieces of malachite.
Growth
I felt my strength rise ten times over the day. The Earthmother taught me Mark of the Wild, Moonfire, Rejuvenation, Thorns, Wrath, Entangling Roots, Healing Touch and Nature's Grasp, and some of these grew stronger as the day went on. Turak taught me Teleport: Moonglade. After Lunaclaw, he taught me Bear Form, Growl and Maul, and I learned what it means to be a Druid of the Claw. My staff and mace work improved, and my defense with them. I also trained in the Two-Handed Maces.