Fel Forge Romance
Let’s go back a year.
The FDA was just approving a for-use-in-humans Avian Flu vaccine, plant geneticists identified a latent gene in tomatoes that, if activated, would have made them taste like cucumbers, President Bush was attempting to officially rejustify his horribly misguided No Child Left Behind plan, Egypt threatened Germany with “scientific sanctions” if the bust of Nefertiti wasn’t returned to her home country and the US Army gave an airman second degree burns trying to test out their non-lethal anti-crowd heat ray. Among other things, of course.
Last April,<Awen> was making ill-fated forays into Gruul’s Lair, had just lost a few clutch tanks, feral druids had recently taken that massive nerf, and my guild leader idly explained that if I wanted to continue tanking, I’d need to finish leveling my alt warrior for guild use. Back then, the leafy-prospect of healing, for which I had absolutely zero gear, terrified me into feverish level grinding. I’d recently hit 70 on Eluneadora (now Rueful), and was carefully picking and choosing various quests that’d yield me useful rewards. You know, back when quest rewards were still useful for raiding and weren’t immediately replaceable.
I had initially skipped Blade’s Edge for various reasons, but seduced by the prospect of Natasha’s Battle Chain, I picked up my Damaged Mask and headed out to the fel forges. Blade’s Edge used to be deserted. No, seriously. There wasn’t any real need to quest there unless you were a masochist, and most folks went directly from the mushroom speckled Zangarmarsh to Nagrand (fun if you’re a feral druid and enjoyed The Lion King) to Netherstorm.
Speaking of masochism, it was altogether fitting that I ran into another warrior doing the same questline I was–prot specced. Who does that? I hear it’s actually rather efficient to be able to pull eight million mobs and slowly wear them down, but unless you’re a paladin, it seems more tedious than anything else. So for sheer ease of questing, this warrior and I teamed up to beat down some elites and kick some serious ass despite the fact that we didn’t have any real method of keeping ourselves alive. We rocked the tag-team tank/sexecute and eventually got our respective rewards. But here’s the thing–regardless of gear, you know when you see someone who can play. Those are the people you know you won’t mind taking the time to gear up because they’re going to destroy everyone else you know in that class.
This guy, standing around in crummy greens and a shield shaped like a lion-face, of all things, was probably the best warrior I’ve seen move mobs around. Naturally, I felt a little defensive since the <Awen> tag and gear I was wearing was absolutely zero indicator of my skill level. While I was and still am a totally jawesome druid, I knew very little about tanking as a warrior (and got quite the quick crash course). As we conversed a little more, I learned that he’d been the main tank for a Naxx progression guild Pre-BC (which explained a lot), and, even more strangely, that we both knew a good friend of mine, Lauchis, whom I’d pulled into <Awen> on the basis that I knew she’d be a veritable encyclopedia of random knowledge.
And that was how it started. Lycentia got into <Awen> based on his prior tanking experiences and a few recommendations, and we began an exceptionally badass MT/OT relationship that clearly evolved into something…more serious (and tanking is already srsbznss!). I cannot even begin to explain how strange it was to consider any kind of serious “dating” via the Internet, nevermind through WoW. Try explaining that one to your friends.
“No guys, seriously. Wicked hot. No no, him, not his toon. Yeah, his toon’s a chick. No, that’s not gay, the human males look retarded. Listen, nevermind. I realize he lives halfway across the country. No, I’m pretty sure he’s not an axe murderer, although that’d be pretty cool, m i rite? Yes, I know what I’m doing. Probably.”
Fast forward to today. We still rock the MT/OT dynamic duo, but from the same room, in a different guild, and on slightly different toons. We theorycraft over dinner or discuss strats on long car rides. I have listened, endlessly, to the myriad array of changes rogues have undergone in the last million patches.
All I’m saying guys, is that it can happen. It’s a little out of this world, non-traditional, and difficult to explain, but in this day and age when we’re all connected at the hips to our electronics, love can be found in the strangest places.
I still get a little googly eyed around Fel Forges. Maybe it’s just all the smoke.
Love in an MMO:
http://www.clichequest.com/index.php?pos=301
That…is more than mildly interesting. These sorts of stories are the ones that make reading weblogs interesting. Congrats on a year together, btw. Long distance relationships can be rough. It’s always nice to hear of others who’ve survived it (it gives me hope for the next two years).
@Wellington
I almost wish it was some sort of bad eRPing story, because that’d be even more ridiculous. It’s just chance and a little bit of happy coincidence. At least I wasn’t like “d00d, I met sum guy on match.com lol his profile matches mine 89%!!!” But man, WoW pops up at the weirdest occasions, sometimes.
@Mynd
“Interesting” doesn’t quite do the situation justice. It’s still one of those stories that provides a lot of consternation when we go out, meet someone new and he or she asks “So, how did you guys meet?” I have a problem explaining it, because I come from a background where gaming, period, wasn’t really encouraged, and where my family looked down on it. Lycentia, however, has zero issues with it (which, I suppose, is a good thing). To be honest, I still wouldn’t advise any sort of “internet dating”. I never would have tried meeting anyone seriously through message boards or personal sites. I’m sure that kind of thing works sometimes, but I’ve always been of the “best friends make the best boyfriends” mentality.
Sometimes, people just click. There’s got to be an awful lot of certainty to pursue something 800+ miles away, and then to pack up your entire life and move out to be with someone. I’m of the mindset that if you want it bad enough, it’ll work.
A very nice story, the kind I love to see (it truly brought a smile to my face, what can I say, I am a romantic at heart).
Vonya and I often start long car rides with “So a paladin huh?”, a phrase that really started us into theory crafting and basically now just means “I want to talk about the game while I drive”.
Oddly enough, we too once happened upon a lone warrior (some 3+years ago) in STV and our long-term friendship with Aensu started. Ah but that is a story for another place and time. I digress. I was simply reminded of is by your saying “some times people just click” because its so true.
/rambling off
^^ Keep rocking (and tanking!) on you two. *two thumbs up*
So that’s what you two were doing all those times in Kara - making googly eyes at each other. I knew there was a reason Airwalk always seemed to die on the way to Moroes.
BTW: “Yeah, his toon’s a chick. No, that’s not gay, the human males look retarded.”
I’d just like to point that both Airwalk and I both had human males… we’re still both pretty gay.
@Kwayne
I think I make the whole thing out to be a lot more “romantic” than it ever actually has been. I’m pretty sure that Lycentia is the anti-christ, but I’m very very okay with that. Ultimately though, I am of the mentality that you can actually meet people who become real life friends through the game. I do, however, think it’s important to realize that a lot of people are just in it for “single-serving friends”, and as soon as you leave the guild, it’s as though you don’t exist (or similar situation, etc.). Always good to make sure you’re on the same page.
@Lauchis
I miss you guys. D: I still think if we could have hand picked a few more people or ended up sticking together (retardedly hard to get into any progression guild like that, I know), we would have been unstoppable. OH WELL M I RITE? Did I ever tell you that there’s a chance that Lyc and I could be moving and working with Zuni? LOL
@Kylnor
YES, FLIRTING DURING MAGTHERIDON. I KNOW, I KNOW. Why do you think I accidentally started the event that one time? Do you still talk to Airwalk? For awhile, I sort of thought that he might of…you know…had a thing for Lyc.
D= I miss playing with you and Lyc too. Feel kind of sad that we’re even on different servers now. Woe. But yeah, kind of difficult to get 5+ people (and two tanks no less) into a high-end progression guild like we’re both in atm. I did hear about the Zuni thing, but didn’t get any details, just the C-word, Zuni, and jobs omg.
p.s. I think Airwalk had a thing for quite a few people. (And see how you persevered against competition!)
This is a great story! /tear
very cute story, keep up the good work
@ Lauchis and Runy: I do still talk to Airwalk quite a bit. He and I remained pretty good friends even though he rerolled horde on a pvp server (grumble grumble grumble). Um, and yeah, as far as him having a thing for people, I think that’s just his personality. In case you all never figured it out he and Biar were dating (and still are). So, I mean, yeah…. I kinda thought everyone knew… maybe not?
@Kylnor
Lol. I was joking, dude.
QQ
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