From Camp Narache to the Claw of the Bear
A young tauren druid crossed Mulgore, passed the Rites of the Earthmother, walked into Thunder Bluff, and ended the night as a Druid of the Claw.
The Road
The day began at Camp Narache, where I took in the view and then climbed to Red Cloud Mesa. From there my hooves carried me east to Brambleblade Ravine, on to Kodo Rock, then Stonebull Lake and Bloodhoof Village. I made the village my home, and the innkeeper's hearth felt like a promise of rest.
Later came Palemane Rock, the Winterhoof Water Well, a glimpse of the Rolling Plains, the Ravaged Caravan and the Bael'dun Digsite. Then Thunder Bluff rose before me, and I wandered Spirit Rise and the Wildmane Water Well. I saw the Golden Plains and Red Rocks, and later the Elder Rise.
Turak's spell took me to Moonglade. I saw Nighthaven, the Shrine of Remulos and Lake Elune'ara. Near the end I went to the Southern Barrens and Camp Taurajo, where I met the flight master. I rode the wyvern back to Thunder Bluff, where the day ended.
Battles
By day's end I had struck down two hundred and seventeen foes. Most were in Mulgore: eighteen Bristleback Quilboar, seventeen Battleboars, fifteen prairie wolves and fifteen Venture Co. workers. There were also fourteen Bael'dun Diggers, thirteen Palemane Poachers and thirteen mountain cougars. Twelve Bristleback Interlopers fell at Red Rocks, along with Palemane gnolls and plainstriders.
I also slew Enforcer Emilgund, a rare humanoid, near Thunder Bluff.
I fell three times. The first time was in the Rolling Plains, to something I never saw. Twice more I fell in Nighthaven, again to something unseen. Each time I woke as a spirit and went to find my body again. Between those two falls in Nighthaven, I won an honorable victory over an adventurer of the enemy faction.
Deeds
Grull Hawkwind sent me after plainstriders for feathers and meat, and later cougar pelts and Battleboar snouts and flanks. Chief Hawkwind's task was to find his mother at the well. She gave me a pitcher to carry back, and the Chief began my Rites of the Earthmother. Seer Graytongue set the Rite of Strength, and I took Bristleback belts back to the Chief. I also carried burning incense to the shrine of An'she and Mu'sha. Brave Windfeather wanted Chief Sharptusk's head, and I delivered it.
I carried the Chief's supplies to Kaga Wildhoof and furs to Innkeeper Kauth. Baine Bloodhoof set many tasks. I thinned the Palemane gnolls, smashed the dwarves' picks, and took Longwalker Malah's report to him. Others set smaller tasks. Chakuyak's pelt went to Yaw Sharpmane, and Ahab Wheathoof's lost puppy Kyle got fed. I also completed the swoop hunt, Mazzranache's remedy, the Winterhoof cleansing and the Venture Co. raid for Morin Cloudstalker.
Zarlman Two-Moons and Seer Wiserunner guided me through the Rite of Vision. At Red Rocks the Ancestral Spirit passed me in the Rite of Wisdom. Lorekeeper Raintotem asked me to drive off the Interlopers, and I did. Cairne Bloodhoof greeted me in Thunder Bluff. Turak Runetotem sent me to Moonglade, where Dendrite Starblaze sent me to the Great Bear Spirit. Back in Thunder Bluff, Turak sent me west of Taurajo, to the Moonkin Stone. When I returned, he said I had earned the strength of body and heart.
Fellowship
The arrival at Camp Narache was loud. Tauren all around me bellowed and mooed in joy. I mooed back a few times, and later I traded jokes and waves with others in Thunder Bluff. At the campfire near Kaga, a shaman told me to relax and wait for the rest to take hold. At Bloodhoof Village I joined the guild Blacktide as an Initiate. Later a fellow Blacktide shouted a greeting to me.
I formed short parties along the way and each time they came apart again. I told a stranger in the village to set up a campfire inside the tent where the druid and shaman trainers stood. Once, I yelled that the wolf was leading someone to a bad party.
Spoils & Craft
I found a few things along the road: the schematic for EZ-Thro Dynamite, Tribal Pants, and two pieces of malachite.
My crafts grew. My skinning climbed to eighty, and I learned the Journeyman art. I learned First Aid and made linen bandages and a First Aid Kit. I learned Cooking and made charred wolf meat, brilliant smallfish and herb baked eggs. I learned Fishing and made a Fish Bowl. With leatherworking I made light leather and eleven light armor kits. I also crafted a Camp Chair, campfire kits and a Camp Tent.
Growth
I grew from the first step on Narache's soil to a tenth stride of strength. Gart Mistrunner taught me Mark of the Wild, and later Moonfire and Rejuvenation. At Bloodhoof I learned Thorns and a stronger Wrath, then Entangling Roots and a stronger Healing Touch. At the Thunder Bluff trainer I learned better Mark of the Wild, better Moonfire and Nature's Grasp. I also learned the Teleport: Moonglade spell.
From Turak at the end I learned Bear Form, Growl and Maul, and I took my first steps as a Druid of the Claw. I also learned Two-Handed Maces, and my skill with staves, maces and defense grew.